Gone Twisted
by Recyclable
Summary: Kidnapped by the Death Eaters, Ash Weasley is trapped in a twisted world of truth and lies... Please Review!
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

Carefully, the boy with the scar on his forehead, the messy haired girl and the red-headed boy snuck into the gardens. They weren't guests of the family that owned the house, nor were they burglars that were in hope of a nice sum of money. No, the trio was on a mission, a rescue mission.

"Stop it, Ron!" the messy haired girl hissed at the red haired boy in annoyance as she swatted his hand away.

"But Hermione, I didn't do anything!" he countered while throwing up his hands in defence.

"Sure you didn't," the messy haired girl rolled her eyes.

"Could the two of you, please, shut up?" the boy with the lightning shaped scar said, stopping short and looking at his company. "Maybe you haven't noticed it yet but we aren't here for fun! I know that Ash is in there! We have to get her out!"

Both of the others bit their lips in guilt and looked at the ground, "Sorry, Harry," they said in unison, like children being lectured by a teacher.

Turning back at the problem at hand, Harry and his friends looked through the bush they were hiding in at the gigantic, white renaissance-styled villa.

They had heard that Ron's cousin Ash Weasley was held captive inside of that house ever since the day of their graduation nearly five months ago. Harry felt his heart constrict when he thought back at the night. He had been searching for Horcruxes with Dumbledore, his teacher and headmaster. When they came back to Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy had let in a party of Death Eaters and his Severus Snape, his former potions master, killed him.

Harry still wasn't sure how Ash had been involved in the whole situation, but he had seen her with them, seen the terror in her eyes when they killed Dumbledore and took her away from her home and family by force. He was there! He should have acted! He should have avenged Dumbledore! He should have rescued her!

Slowly the three of them crept through the dark garden searching for a way to enter the house.

"Who's there?" a soft melodic voice echoed through the garden making the three of them freeze in shock. It couldn't be... But they would recognise that voice anywhere. It was the voice of the person they came to rescue. It was the voice of Ashlin Sandra Weasley.

Shocked, they turned around and looked into the direction the voice had sounded from and sure enough, the strawberry blond girl they knew and loved stood, save and sound. She was wearing a tight blood-red dress that slung to her every curve and accentuated her perfect hourglass figure and with it a pair of deadly looking red stilettos. Over that she wore a black hooded robe.

"A-Ash?" Ron asked in shock.

Catching her breath the girl swiftly glanced behind her, nobody in sight.

"Ron? Is that really you?" she asked confused and slowly walked down the terrace steps towards the trio.

"Yes! We came to save you!" he grinned at her and showed himself to his cousin.

Ash stopped short at the last step and began laughing like a maniac, shocking her potential rescuers. "_You_ want to save _me_?" she gasped in humour before shaking her head disbelievingly. "Whoever said I needed saving?"


	2. Chapter 2 - The Beginning

It was cold.

A trembling girl was sitting in a lonesome corner in the room she occupied. The room didn't have any furniture; only cold, bare stone that was covered in a thin, filthy layer of slimy, wet moss. The wetness of her surroundings had already soaked into her formally white dress and was slowly freezing her spirit and will away.

When the girl had first arrived in this dungeon, she had been powerful, strong and full of hope but slowly she was fading away into her icy confinement...

It was dark.

She never saw, couldn't see, blinded by the deep black darkness around her. Once a day, she saw a light. A light that told her she was still alive. But all there was, was the blinding bright light embraced by the endless darkness.

But it wasn't only her surroundings that were filled with darkness but her inner mind as well. Over and over and over and over again she relived the day she was thrown into this darkness. Over and over and over again did she see her headmaster plunge into the abyss. Over and over again did she watch as the Death Eaters invaded her school and ruined her life.

It was foul.

Every time she moved she felt the cold wet moss, the slimy dirt cover floor against her unwashed and filthy skin. Every time she breathed in she could taste the rotten air and the stink in her mouth. Every time she forgot to breath through her mouth, she nearly barfed due to the stinging smell of her body wastes and the slowly decaying food she had been refusing to eat.

It was endless.

She had no idea how long she had been down here already, no idea when she would be let out again. All she knew is that when she would be let out again, her fate would be sealed...

Suddenly the blinding light shot at her again.

The girl shrunk into herself and tried to cover her burning eyes from the white glistening light.

'Why is it here? Its already been here today!' she asked herself maniacally.

All of a sudden a voice pierced through the eerie quiet that the girl had gotten used too, "Oi you! Get up you filthy whore. The Dark Lord wishes to see you!" the voice demanded. When she didn't move a long strong arm closed around her frail limb and pulled her out of her hole...

He was hurting her, pulling her along the corridor that she had rushed through before she had been thrown into the dungeons. Her eyes hurt whenever she opened them to see where they were going. She could only see the vague outlines of her surroundings in the bright candle light that illuminated their way.

Stumbling after the forceful messenger, Ash did her best to not fall over with exhaustion. At the start of her imprisonment she had tried to keep her strength, to stay strong so that she could escape when the time presented itself. But as time came and went, she had lost all hope of escape and freedom. All she could hope for now was a death of starvation before the Death Eaters thought about interrogating her about Harry. Therefore, she had refused to eat any of the food she had been presented with since 24 blinding lights ago so she didn't have any of her initial strength any more. Every step she took felt like a hundred years of torture.

Soon she was silently pleading for some rest, panting from exhaustion and fatigue. But the Death Eater was merciless, pushing and forcing her on even when she was nearly lying on the floor in defeat.

"Come on, you stinking bitch," he growled as she fell onto the floor for the umpteenth time before he gave up and threw her over his shoulder.

Ash had no idea how long it took them to their final destination, every second seemed like half a century to her as she went in and out of consciousness again.

"Here she is, my lord," the Death Eater said as he let her down from his shoulder and made her stand in front of a large wooden desk.

"Alright, you can leave now," a hiss echoed through the room and the Death Eater quickly bowed and walked out of the room.

Balling her fists, Ash tensed as she recognized the voice. Swiftly she pulled out every last reserve of her strength in order to not appear to weak in front of her enemy.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, what a pleasure it is to see you again," the voice behind the table hissed softly, mocking her with every word.

"C-ca-can't s-say t-the same," she forced herself to say through her desert-like throat and through gritted teeth before falling onto her knees as all strength left her and was taken over by a terrible coughing spree.

The hissing voice laughed loudly at her words. "Always the joker," he hissed and stood up from his chair and walked over to her. Taking her face into his fingers and studying her carefully, he said, "you look terrible, my love," and stroke a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

She didn't have the strength to counter the comment, therefore she only glared at him.

"Now, now, don't look at me like that! It wasn't my fault that you didn't eat any of your food," he sneered in a light hearted tone. But her expression didn't change. "Well, I have a proposition to make to you. Will you listen?" he asked before snickering and adding, "of course you will, you don't have any choice."

Slowly he let go off her face and walked away from her sitting down on a chair in front of the fireplace. Ash watched his every step, never letting her guard down.

"Do you care to join me? It's very warm over here," he asked, his voice not allowing any refusal.

Taking a deep, painful breath Ash pushed herself off the ground and walked over to the blazing fire, feeling the warmth surround and sooth her aching body.

When she sat down on the chair next to Voldemort he began speaking, "Miss Weasley, I have heard a lot about you in the last couple of weeks. Both Draco and Severus have told me about your very intriguing nature and your perfect skills in magic. I must admit, they have ignited my interest."

Ash stared at the flickering flames as she listened to his words in despair.

"Therefore, I wanted to -"

"Ne-never!" she whispered before he could even speak those ridiculous words. Suddenly a sharp pain struck through her every bone. Every cell in her body wanted to tare away from her, every muscle was ripping, every nerve was on fire and every vain broke apart. Screaming her lungs out she willed herself to stay awake, willed herself to not give into the pain and lose her conscious, willed herself to stay sitting on the chair she was on, willed herself not to give Voldemort the pleasure of seeing her suffer. Quickly she forced her mouth shut and gritted her teeth together, forbidding herself to scream again as the pain increased instead of lessened.

She never felt this kind of pain before. Voldemort's will to destroy her, to make her suffer for defying him was making her toenails curl up and make every bone be ripped out of her open and bleeding flesh. She had been under the Cruciatus Curse before, but this pain was worse then anything she had ever felt before.

It didn't take long until her will power and strength succumbed and she withered onto the floor screaming and sobbing loudly.

Gradually the pain lessened and left her feeling bare and exposed on the floor in front of Voldemort's feet.

"Let me finish speaking," he hissed at her with a voice that betrayed his annoyance, before regaining his carefree hiss once again. "Now, were was I before I was so rudely interrupted? Ah, yes. I want you to become a Death Eater."

The filthy girl to his feet was still cradling herself tightly, trying to regain the strength to talk. Patiently he waited until she muttered, "Never" once again.

Grinning he said, "Wrong answer," and let his wand send her into unbearable pains once again.

"Never," she repeated in a harsh whisper when she found her voice again.

His face didn't falter a millimetre as he leaned down to look at her in interest, "Intriguing, very intriguing," he muttered more to himself then to her before swiftly standing up from his chair and yelling, "Wormtail!"

"Yes master?" a small squeaky voice asked from the door.

"Get Draco. He should take her to one of the guest rooms, get her cleaned up and make her eat something. I want to see her again tomorrow morning, fresh and strong-" Voldemort glanced at her, "-er," the dark robed man hissed at his subordinate in disgust and exited the room leaving the trembling Weasley with the foul little sad excuse of a man.

Swiftly the little man exited as well and came back with the platinum blond boy flanking him.


	3. Chapter 3 - Draco

"Ash!" she heard a far away voice cry out to her after she heard a door open and close. She recognized the voice. It was a voice that doomed pain and sorrow. It was a voice that brought love and happiness. It was a voice that she didn't want to hear right now. It was a voice she needed to hear right now. It was a voice that confused her to no ends. Who's voice was it again?

Straining to open her eyes again, the weak girl on the floor looked up at the ceiling and saw a blurry outline staring down at her. Platinum blond hair, piercing blue eyes filled with concern and sorrow. Who was she seeing?

The strong hands of the blur picked her off the ground and allowed her to float in the air. Slowly she placed her weak, leaden arms around the blurs neck and let her forehead rest on its shoulder, breathing in the welcoming and scent of burned wood, vanilla and fabric freshener.

Draco... her mind told her softly, as she tightened her grip around the boy she had loved not so long ago. A small smile played across her face as she fell asleep in his warm embrace. She could rest now. She was safe. Draco would keep her safe.

"Wake up, my love. You need to take a bath," a calm voice whispered into her ear as the owner shook her body gently.

Groaning a bit, the girl grimaced and turned her head to look at the person that had woken her. There in front of her she saw the blond boy again, looking at her with soft blue eyes.

"Good Morning," he smiled at her when he noticed her looking at him.

"G'mo-morning," she answered quietly and returned the smile, "I had the most dreadful dream just now," she whispered to him and saw his smile falter a bit.

"You need to take a bath. The tub is already filled and waiting," he told her softly, still using his sweet, soft and soothing tone.

"Alright," she sighed and wanted to get up, but a sharp pain shot through her body and made her scream out loud. Quickly all the memories came flooding back at her burning into her brain. Panting harshly, Ash tried to hold back the tears and glared at Draco. Closing her eyes hard, Ash took a couple of deep breaths, "It wasn't a dream?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"Fuck," she sighed in defeat and nodded, "you'll need to help me up."

Nodding, Draco let a hand slip between her shoulder blades and the bed and helped her sit up. Wheezing painfully, Ash let her eyes sweep over her surroundings. She was lying on a feathery soft bed with silken covers flowing softly above her. Around the bed she saw a comfortable looking carpet and a few dark wooden cupboards around the walls. The whole room was kept in a wonderful light cream tone, that contrasted the dark wooden furniture perfectly and made a beautiful soothing atmosphere.

Quickly Draco helped her stand on the soft carpet and led her up to an already open door that pleased with a view on an magnificent looking cream coloured bathroom.

"Where are we?" Ash asked softly as Draco helped her undress and she stepped into the old fashioned looking bathtub that stood on golden feet.

"It's my family manor," Draco answered quietly, neither of their voices had yet reached normal conversational loudness.

"The Malfoy Manor?"

"Yeah."

Nodding more to herself than anything else, Ash let herself glide into the warm water.

Water was a fascinating thing. No matter how bad your life seems, no matter how hurt you are, no matter what troubles you've got, it all seems to flow away into nothingness when the gentle, easing liquid surrounded her features.

Sighing, she let her eyes fall shut and allowed to water to do its work. Cracking open and washing away the dried dirt and stubbornly clinging smells. Rinsing her normally silky strawberry blond hair from all the grease and slime. Massaging her aching body softly and exorcising the pain out of her flesh.

After a while she felt large hands sink into the water and rub her body thoroughly, but she didn't move an inch, allowing the boy in charge of her to help the water do its work. Soon she felt water trickle over her the head, cleaning the hair that was still dry and dirty. Next the soft hands that helped to clean her began massaging her head as they rubbed in a good smelling lotion. Still she didn't move. She didn't help, nor stop the hands as they rubbed her clean, applied lotions and soaps, rinsed away the dirt and stink. All she did was lay there in the soothing warmth and let it happen.

When the water started to get cold, Ash opened her eyes again and looked at Draco, smiling. "Thank you," she sighed and sat upright, "I think I can take it over from here," she smiled and dismissed the concerned boy.

The boy looked at her unsure for a minute or two before nodding and getting of the floor, leaving her in the bathroom alone. "I'll get you something to eat," he said before closing the door behind himself.

Quietly, she strained her ears to listen to Draco walk through the room before opening and closing the door as he exited the room. Confused she strained her ears even more, but soon it was clear, the sound she was listening for wouldn't come. Draco didn't lock the rooms door.

Not trusting this fact, Ash stayed put in her bathtub and finished cleaning herself up and presentable once again. Next she slowly and painfully got out of the tub and dried down. When she was dry, she slowly walked out of the bathroom and to the bed, were she saw a nice summer dress waiting for her. Pulling it over her head, she brushed her half wet hair into a bun and glanced at the door.

Carefully looking around herself again, she walked up to it and hesitantly placed her right hand on the handle, always expecting a booming voice to scream at her and lightning to strike her.

Another glance, another breath and a small turn of the handle and her door swung open, granting her view of a wonderfully decorated, familiar looking and empty corridor. She was in the same corridor she had walked through before. She was in the same corridor Draco's room was placed.

Glancing up and down the corridor again, she noticed the stairs that lead down to the second floor, lead to the mansions exit.

Swallowing hard, Ash continued staring at the not too far of staircase. It was a test, she was sure off it. They wouldn't let her escape with such ease. No, they were waiting for her on the floor below... or were they?

What would happen if she stepped out of the room now? Would she be attacked and killed? Would she be able to escape?

Confused, she let the fear get the better side of her as she quickly pulled her head back through the door and closed the door behind her, letting herself sink to the ground next to the door, crying.

That's how he found her only a few minutes later. Quickly he told the house elf who was carrying the food to set the tray on the table and kneeled in front of the crying girl, pulling her into an embrace.

"Shh, everything is going to be alright," he hummed into her ear and patiently waited for her tears to dry. When she calmed down, Draco helped her stand up again and led her to the bed, where he tucked her under the covers and fed the upset girl.

Soon he saw the girls eyelids get heavy and fall shut, under the warmth of the covers.

Leaning down, he slowly placed his soft full lips against her smooth forehead and pulled away again. "Good night," he whispered into her ear before standing up and walking out of the room, down the hallway and down to flights of stairs until he stood in front of a specific door.

Quietly knocking on the door before entering, the boy walked up to the man waiting inside and smiled at him. "She's asleep now, Professor."

"Alright, thank you for telling me Draco," the man said with a short nod.

"When will you talk to her?"

"Soon."

"I don't want her hurt any more, Professor. It'll be best for her if she just becomes a Death Eater."

"Don't worry Draco, I'll talk to her soon. I'll convince her," the man said and dismissed the boy with a short nod.

"I hope so," the boy muttered and left the man alone in the room once again.


	4. Chapter 4 - Obedience

"Good night," he whispered into her ear after kissing her forehead and then quietly left the room, thinking she was sleeping. Once she heard the door fall shut behind him, she ripped her eyes open once again and stared at the ceiling above her.

What was she doing here?

Why suddenly change her treatment and let her sleep in a actual room? In an actual bed?

What did Voldemort want from her?

With a prolonged sigh, Ash got off the feathery soft bed and paced around the room, mumbling to herself.

After a couple of minutes of debating and trying to make sense of her whole situation, she got her blanket off the bed and stopped in front of a couch that was lined against the wall. Slowly she let herself slip onto it and covered her body with the warm blanket, while the hard couch pushed against her back, making it possible for her to find a bit of comfort in this peachy room.

She hadn't asked yet, but she guessed that she was in that dungeon for about six weeks. Two weeks of hoping someone would come and save her and about four weeks of hoping to die before they came for her.

"Well, that didn't work out," she told herself with a snarl, before ripping the blankets away from her body once again and sitting up, staring into the darkness of her room.

"What does Voldemort want from me? Why didn't he kill me when I was brought here?" she asked herself slowly. "Why would he want to turn me into an Death Eater?"

Quickly she got of the couch and paced the room again, question after question flooding her mind.

"Of course it has something to do with Harry. Everything has something to do with Harry," she growled.

"Does he want information about him? No, he'd have just tortured it out off me already, would have made me drink veritaserum.

"Does he want - " she cut off her mumbling when she heard the door creak open. "Who's there?" she called into the darkness, before a dark figure emerged out of the door and closed it behind him, flicking on the light in the process.

Pain. Indescribable pain soured through her body and made her scream out loud in pain. Tears were running down her cheeks and she clawed the floor in despair.

It was the third day of this continuous torture. Everyday he ordered the girl to him and let her undergo one Cruciatus Curse again and again and again, enjoying her raw screams and the tears that run over her face. Then, as if being her saviour, he stopped and pampered her, carrying her to her new room personally and speaking to her in soft and sweet tones of voice.

"I only want what's best for you," he cooed at her every time he tucked her into bed and stayed by her side until she fell asleep.

"Will you become a Death Eater?" he asked her once again, he was starting to get furious with her stubbornness.

"Never!" she gasped once again and Voldemort had it.

"Bring in the boy!" he sneered at Wormtail, who had watched the whole torture from one of the rooms corners.

"Yes, master," the rat said and scrambled out of the room, coming back with Draco following him closely.

"You wanted to see me, my lord?" Draco asked with fear in his voice, all Ash could do was stare at him in confusion as the pain started to clear from her mind. Suddenly Ash saw Draco fall onto the ground screaming and writhing in pain as Voldemort hit him with a spell.

"Stop it!" she screamed and scrambled over to the screaming Draco, sobbing, begging through her sobs, "Stop it! I'll do anything, just stop hurting him!"

"Anything you say?" a cold voice hissed into her direction, the owner was comfortably sitting in a throne like chair, looking at her enjoyment in his eyes.

"Anything," she gasped and looked at the half man, half creature in front of her in hope.

"Come here then," he said, voice becoming soft, like the times he brought her to bed, and beckoned her with a finger of his.

Slowly the strawberry blond girl in front of him stumbled off the floor and onto her feet and slowly walked up to him eagerly as she heard Draco's screams subside. Eyeing the exhausted girl up and down, the dark cloaked figure nodded and ordered, "kiss me."

Eyes widening with shock, the girl stared at the creature before her. With features waxy and oddly distorted, he looked at her. His skin was pale as snow, the whites of his eyes had a perpetually bloody look and his dark scarlet eyes were set in slits like those of a cat. His nose was flat and snake-like and his lips seemed to be non existent. The unnaturally long fingers where placed in his cheek in boredom, as he waited and studied her.

Getting over the initial shock, the girl swallowed hard and nodded curtly. Looking at his mouth, she leaned in slowly and closed her eyes. She tried to imagine Blaise sitting there in front of her as she neared the snake-like man and felt her full warm lips press against the cold skin around his smirking mouth.

Suddenly she felt a hand wrap around her head and pull her face, so that his mouth was directly at her right ear. "Will you become a Death Eater?" his voice asked softly, "Will you do my every bidding and never question me and my authority? Will you stay by my side forever? Will you be faithful to me?"

With a shaky breath Ash nodded and said, "yes, my lord."

"Good," he said and she suddenly felt him take a firm hold of her left hand. "Stay still," he ordered as he placed his wand on her left forearm and with out a word leaving his thin lips, Ash felt a burning sensation run up and down her arm as the Dark Mark branded itself into her skin.

When the feeling subsided, Ash collapsed onto the ground in front of Voldemort and let her head fall onto his knee, before pulling herself together and looking up at her new master.

"You did a brave thing, Ash," the voice hissed in pleasure, "stupid but brave, I hope that one day you will sacrifice yourself just as willingly for me, as you did for that ferret."

His voice was soft as he praised her and brushed his thin fingers over her cheek and pulled her up on his lab. "Now, I want you to show how loyal you are to me," he said softly and placed his wand into her hands, "and I want to see your power," he added and moved her hand to point at Draco. "Use the Cruciatus curse," he ordered and Ash obliged with merciless eyes.

Draco screamed out in pain as her spell hit him and made him undergo through terrible pains.

"Yes," the Dark Lord hissed in glee, "yes, think about what he's done to you! He cheated on you! It is his fault that you were captured! It is all his fault! Let him feel the pain! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Voldemort hissed excitedly and held on to his newest followers hips tightly, as he watched Draco's hurting form seizures of never ending pains.

What he did not see however, was the single tear that rolled down the teenage girls cheek as she saw the other teenager shrivel under her spell.


	5. Chapter 5 - Reasons

That night, Voldemort didn't have to carry her into her room, but still brought her there all the same.

"I'm very pleased with you, my love," he muttered as they walked through her bedroom door and he sat down on the couch Ash preferred lying on. With a simple tap on the fabric next to him, the Dark Lord ordered her to his side. When she sat down next to him, she felt his fingers brush over her skin once again, caressing her cheeks once again. When they found her chin, he forced her to look up at him, "I think I have a new favourite," he hissed pleased as he studied her feature, his mouth faintly resembling a smile.

Her strawberry blond hair was still a bit sticky with the sweat of the torture before, but still flowed smoothly across her shoulders, framing her beautiful face exquisitely. Her porcelain skin, the full naturally red lips, the flawless straight nose, the high cheek bones and the magnificently emerald green eyes.

Those eyes. Those eyes that held so much emotions in them, but could still be so cold. Those eyes that held could be read like a book, but could also hide everything. Those eyes fascinated him to no ends.

Next he let his eyes stray to her flawless hour glass figure, ripe and fresh.

Slowly his fingers ran down her thin neck and stopped right above the breasts, slowly letting his cold fingers slide over the exposed skin.

"It's such a pleasure, having such a beauty under my followers," he hissed with a smile.

"I don't deserve this much praise, my lord," the girl said, her eyes moving away from his face towards the floor. The creatures smile broadened as he heard her flawless, melodic voice talk. It was still raw from the three days of continues screaming, but just these few word reminded him of the day he had heard her sing for his followers.

"You deserve that and much more," he told her and continued watching her with interest that kept forcing shivers through the girls spine. "I bid you a good night, please come to my office as soon as you have slept to your fullest and have enjoyed breakfast," he said and pushed himself of the couch, leaving her in her room all alone.

When she heard the door close behind the man, Ash collapsed within herself. Together with that man her strength to appear strong and emotionless also disappeared, with that man her will to remain strong disappeared.

Slowly Ash let her face fall into her hands as she broke down, crying like she never cried before. Tears streamed down her cheeks in a continuous river and shivers of pain and sorrow ran through her muscles in spasms as she sat on the couch and cradled herself tightly.

After a few moments, Ash regained a few bits of her strength and straightened out, glaring at the dark tattoo that had appeared on her arm not so long ago. A skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth.

It disgusted her. It fascinated her. It bound her.

Slowly calming down again, Ash let her mind wander over the events that had occurred before this day, especially the little encounter she had just a few days prior, with her former potions master.

__

She was pacing her room in darkness, not being able to get a wink of sleep.

"Does he want - "she cut off her mumbling when she heard the door creak open. "Who's there?" she called into the darkness, before a dark figure emerged out of the door and closed it behind him, flicking on the light in the process.

In front of her stood the man that she had known for the last few months, had trusted and believed his every word, before he betrayed them all. He was a thin man with sallow skin and a large, hooked nose. Shoulder-length, greasy black hair framed his face in curtains and his cold, black eyes reminded Ash of dark tunnels. His thin-lips where smiling at her with a warmth he showed only to a few people. He was wearing his usual black, flowing robes that give him an appearance of a bat in waiting.

"Snape," she hissed, stumbling backwards away from him.

"Ash, I'm happy that you are well," he said in his usual soft voice, as he tried to close the distance between them, but Ash hurried away from him.

"What do you want?" she snarled.

Seeing that she was uncomfortable, Snape sighed and stepped back a few steps, expanding the distance between them. "I want to show you something," he told her and pulled out a large silver pensive from his robes.

Confused, Ash stayed rooted where she stood and watched carefully as he placed the pensive on the floor and pulled out one of his memories placing it into the silver plate. "Look," he ordered and stepped away from the pensive while she suspiciously walked up to it.

Kneeling down in front of the pensive, Ash watched the silver-white memory swirl, luring her in. One last glance at Snape and she plunged her head into the strange liquid and dived into the memory presented to her.

It was night time and Dumbledore sagged sideways in the throne-like chair of his office. His right hand was hanging over the side, black and burned. Snape was kneeling before him, muttering incantations, pointing his wand at the wrist, while his left hand poured a thick golden potion into the headmasters throat. After a few moments Dumbledore's eyes fluttered open.

"Why?" Snape asked, "Why did you put on that ring? It carries a curse, surely you realized that. Why even touch it?"

Ash looked at the desk Snape was glaring at and saw a ring sit on it, it was cracked; a sword lay beside it. Dumbledore grimaced.

"I... was a fool. Sorely tempted..."

"Tempted by what?"

Dumbledore didn't answer.

"Its a miracle you managed to return here!" Snape fumed. "That ring carried a curse of extraordinary power, to contain it is all we can hope for; I have trapped the curse in one hand for the time being -"

Dumbledore raised his blackened, useless hand and examined it curiously. "You have done well, Severus. How long do you think I have?" the man asked in a tone that could have asked for the weather forecast, not his life expectancy.

Snape hesitated, "I cannot tell. Maybe a year. There is no halting such a spell forever. It will spread, eventually, it is the sort of curse that strengthens over time."

Dumbledore smiled. The news that he had only about a year to live didn't seem to effect him too much. "I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you Severus."

"If only you had summoned me a little earlier, I might have been able to do more, buy you more time!" said Snape furiously. He glared at the ring and sword, "Did you think that breaking the ring would break the curse?"

"Something like that... I was delirious no doubt..." Dumbledore shifted position. "Well, really, this makes matters much more straight forward."

Seeing Snape look at him confused, Dumbledore smiled. "I refer to the plan Lord Voldemort is revolving around me. His plan to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me."

"The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to succeed. This is merely a punishment for Lucius's recent failures. Slow torture for Draco's parents, while they watch him fail and pay the price," Snape muttered after he sat in the chair opposite Dumbledore.

"In short, the boy has had a death sentence pronounced upon him as surely as I have. Now I should have thought the natural successor to the job, once Draco fails, is yourself?"

After a short pause Snape said, "That, I think, is the Dark Lord's plan."

"Lord Voldemort foresees the moment in the near future when he will not need a spy at Hogwarts?"

"He believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes."

"And if it does fall into his grasp, I have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students of Hogwarts?"

Snape gave a stiff nod.

"Good. Now then. Your first priority will be to discover what Draco is up to. A frightened teenage boy is a danger to others as well as to himself. Offer him your help and guidance, he ought to accept, he likes you -"

"-much less since his father has lost favour. Draco blames me, he thinks I have usurped Lucius's position."

"All the same, try. I am concerned less for myself than for the accidental victims of whatever schemes might occur the boy. Ultimately, of course there is only one thing to be done if we are to save him from Lord Voldemort's wrath."

Snape raised an eyebrow and his tone was sardonic when he spoke again, "Are you intending to let him kill you?"

"Certainly not. You must kill me."

There was a long silence before Snape spoke once again, his voice heavy with irony, "Would you like me to do it now? Or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph?"

"Oh, not quite yet," Dumbledore answered smiling, "I dare say the moment will present itself in due course. Given what has happened tonight, we can be sure it will happen within a year."

"If you don't mind dying, why not let Draco do it?"

"That boys soul is not yet so damaged, I would not have it ripped apart on my account."

"And my soul, Dumbledore? Mine?"

"You alone know whether it will harm your soul to help a old man avoid pain and humiliation. I ask this one great favour of you, Severus, because death is coming for me as surely as the Chudley Cannons will finish bottom of this years league. I confess I should prefer a quick painless exit to the protracted and messy affair it will be if, for instance, Greyback is involved - I hear Voldemort has recruited him? Or dear Bellatrix, who likes to play with her food before she eats it."

Ash watched as Snape gave another curt nod, satisfying Dumbledore, "Thank you, Severus..." she heard her former headmaster say before the office disappeared and she was thrown back into the real world.

__

"He... he wanted you to kill him?" she asked confused as she looked at Snape in horror.

"Yes he did."

Taking deep breaths, Ash swallowed hard and watched Snape near her once again and saw him put his memory back into his head.

"Why did you show me this? Isn't it dangerous for you to do this?"

"Very, but I believe I can trust you not to tell anyone."

"But what if they torture it out of me?"

Snape smiled, "The Dark Lord wont do that. Not if you agree to become a Death Eater."

"Never!" Ash snap again and got of the ground and tried to flee from Snape again, but he grabbed her wrist and, being much stronger then her, stopped her from retreating.

"Ash! Listen to me!"

"No! I will never become a Death Eater! Never! Never! Never!" she screamed at her former Professor and tried to get away from him but his grasped remained firm.

"Listen to me!"

Ash stopped struggling under his grip and did as requested. "The Dark Lord wants to use you as bait for Potter. He believes that Potter will come and rescue you. He will want to keep you near, will want to make you into his most faithful pawn. Do it. Let it happen. Become a Death Eater and stay by his side, play the faithful pawn he wants you to be. You will be able to listen to all his conversations, he'll get you involved in his plans, hopefully ask for your advise. Be a spy for the order, Ash!"

"For the order?" Ash sneered, "why should I? What did they ever do for me?"

"Help Harry, if not the order," Snape said softly, "help Ron, help Ginny, help Hermione."

Ash bit her lip and stared at Snape. "Help Blaise," he added and made Ash stare at him with big eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Blaise heard about what happened from Harry. He and Tracy unofficially joined them in the quest of destroying the Dark Lord," Snape told her with a small smile.

Staring at the man in front of her with emotionless eyes, Ash let all of the newly attained information sink in. Tracy... Blaise... They were trying to help her family and they didn't even like them all that much and she had such a big chance. Who would she be too not help them? What would Blaise think off her? Blaise... _only hearing his name already sent goosebumps up her body._Blaise... _how she longed to see him again._

Swallowing hard, she nodded her head, telling Snape she would do what he asked of her.

He had told her that she had to stay strong, determined. He had foretold that Voldemort would bring Draco into the game at one point to lure her in. He told her how to react, to try and save Draco - not that she wouldn't have tried anyway. He told her everything he knew and when the next morning came, Ash was determined to succeed.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Manor, a dark hooded creature was sitting in a throne-like chair and was stroking a snakes head, lovingly.

"He will come for her, Nagini, I know it," he told the snake in a tongue quiet unlike the one he spoke when he talked to his followers, "I can feel his despair of losing her, I can feel his determination. Soon... soon I will get my revenge!" the dark creature snickered in delight.


	6. Chapter 6 - Boundaries

Scrunching up her face as the first sun rays hit her eyes, the strawberry blond girl turned around and pulled a pillow over her head. But it was too late, she was awake and once that happened she knew that she didn't have any chance of going back to sleep.

Sighing she opened her eyes and ripped the pillow from her head again, starring at the wall before her in an emotionless face.

Slowly she let her arm glide in front of her vision as she looked at the newly formed dark mark on her forearm. Biting her lip uncertainly, she let her right arm glide over the darkened skin and traced along the lines. Yesterday the mark had been jet black, but slowly it had faded into a vivid red colour.

The dark mark. The mark that only Voldemort's inner circle are allowed to have. The mark that he uses to summon his people and monitor them. The mark that brands his most loyal followers as his property. The mark that already brought so much destruction and terror to this world.

Turning so that she lay on her back, Ash started at the ceiling above her and frowned. She just hoped that Snape was right, that she would be able to successfully spy on the Dark Lord and hence help her family and friends.

Ash laughed at the thought, slowly her family genes seemed to kick in again, making her braver or stupider, however you want to call it. _But isn't loyalty to your friends also a Slytherin trait?_ She chuckled in her mind as she forced herself to sit up and get off the bed.

Slowly she sat up and started her normal morning routine, she hadn't had the opportunity to do so in the last couple of weeks. First she stretched her body good and thoroughly, then made her way to the bathroom, where she showered and did all the other stuff you do in an bathroom. Gradually she walked out off the bathroom again and walked up to the walk in closet that was located at the other side of the wall.

No matter how often she looked at the closet, it always took away a bit of her breath. It was furnished in the same colours as the room, cream, peach and dark brown wood and was about half the size of the bed room, filled with every clothing article you could think off.

Quickly Ash steered towards the direction of the shirts and skirts. From the style of the clothing, Ash guessed that Bellatrix had done the shopping for her. Most of the stuff was black, frilly and lacy but every here and again you could find some very colourful things as well, like a red dress that was placed on a doll and caught Ash's eye in only a matter of seconds - but then again, how could you miss a blood red dress standing in the middle of the room?

Taking her time, Ash picked out a grey tanktop that read "Here comes trouble", a short skirt with black and white flowery frills and a blue jeans jacket. Then she pulled her hair into a messy bun. With a final look in the mirror, Ash nodded, happy with her looks and walked up to the door.

Glancing left and right, Ash took a deep breath as she moved her hand in order to touch the door knob and walk out of the room. As she moved her hand, Ash saw her hand shiver in anticipation, she was allowed to move through the house freely now. She could make a run for it...

Ash shook her head furiously and pulled her hand back. Stupid Ash! she told herself. Thoughts like those would only bring her trouble.

Breathing in deeply again, Ash took a firm hold of the door and pulled it open before stepping onto the corridor. Slowly she started walking down the hallway, in the hope of finding the kitchens.

"The kitchen is the other way," a voice suddenly said behind her, making her jump.

"Draco! Merlin, don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Suddenly appear!"

Draco was leaning against his door as he laughed at her comment. "But your face is so adorable when you're freaked out!" Draco commented with a smirk.

"Whatever," Ash growled and turned, walking down the corridor the way Draco had told her, she could hear Draco following her. Soon she reached the staircase and walked down, Draco followed. When she came to the end of the corridor Ash turned left and noticed that Draco had stopped walking at the staircase.

"Are we playing that stupid game again?" she asked in an annoyed tone of voice.

"What game?"

"The one where I randomly choose a direction and if it's the correct direction, you'll follow and if not you'll just stand still?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"But you do know that it wont end like the last time, right?"

"Why would it not?"

"Firstly, this Mansion is way smaller then the castle and has less corridors! Secondly, why ever would I want to kiss you? I admit that the first time it was intriguing, but now its nothing."

Draco shrugged, trying to hide stab he felt as she insulted him. "Suit yourself," he chimed and started walking after Ash, who was now on her right way to the kitchens.

After what seemed like hours Ash had finally found the dining room, where a couple of Death Eaters where enjoying their breakfast already. When she entered the room, she felt all their eyes land on her and evaluate her.

"What's that little blood traitor doing here?" she heard Bellatrix snarl at her sister Narcissa.

"You're the one that brought her here," Narcissa replied calmly.

"But she is supposed to be in the dungeons!"

"The Dark Lord wanted her and got her, she's one of us now."

Both women looked at her with curious eyes as Draco joined her in the dining room and lead her over to a table on which several youths sat. She knew them all.

"Hey guys!" Ash said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, a small spoof smile lightening her features. The former Slytherins looked up at her in surprise.

"Hey Ash," Chase grinned at her with joy in his eyes as he stood up and walked up to her, hugging her tightly. "It's good to see you again!" he said truthfully, looking into her eyes.

"You're a Death Eater?" Ash asked him confused, she would never have expected to see her pseudo little brother amongst the others.

"Yeah, now that the Dark Lord is running Hogwarts, he picked out the most promising students to be... guides for the others," Chase told her in the usual happy tone that he kept around her.

After a small pause, Ash smiled at her friend and said, "I guess I'll have to congratulate you now." Quickly she pulled him into an tight embrace, "I'm happy for you."

Disentangling from their hug, Ash looked at the others that sat around them. There were Crabbe and Goyle, Pansy, Daphne, Theodore, Bullstrode and three others that Ash identified as her underclass-man, from other houses. The only ones that were missing where Tracy and Blaise and she was quite sure she wouldn't be seeing them here at any time. But it didn't hurt to ask, right?

"Where's Blaise and Tracy?"

The youths looked at each other, "Well, you know those two, always keeping out of the politics and such. They're neutral ground, you could say," Chase explained and snickered, "but maybe they'll decide to follow the Dark Lord, once they hear that you've joined in!" Suddenly his expression darkened a bit as he added, more to himself then anyone else, "It'd be better for them."

Gulping, Ash smiled at her friend. Quickly she sat down and started eating her breakfast. She tried to act as normal as possible, while the others talked about some kind of gig they wanted to be a part off.

As soon as she finished her food, she excused herself and walked away, searching for Voldemort's office, where he was already waiting for her.

"Ah, Ashlin!" the voice behind the desk said as she opened the door and walked into the office that had been her torture room for the last few days. "I may call you Ashlin, correct? I think Ash sounds to boyish to belong to such a beautiful girl," the snake-like man asked her, as he motioned for her to come nearer.

"Of course, my lord. You may call me whatever you want, as long as it isn't too insulting," she said with a smug smile on her lips. She know it was probably a stupid idea to prompt him like that, but she needed to see where her boundaries lay if she wanted to get through this scheme.

Looking at the girl a bit surprised, Voldemort smiled before turning towards one of the shadowy corners, "Wormtail! Get the girl a chair," he ordered and the rat-like man hushed from the shadows, getting the girl a chair. "You can leave now," Voldemort added when the chair was situated next the his own.

"But, my lord," the rat tried to reason.

"I said, you can leave now," Voldemort repeated in a tone that didn't let room for any discussions and the small man fled the room.

"Most of them are such nuisances," the man told her with a sigh as soon as the door closed behind the rat.

Ash looked at her new master and nodded, "I can believe that, especially if most of them are as stupid as that little fellow," she said and studied the man in the chair in front of her from the corner of her eyes.

The Dark Lord laughed at her comment, "No, thankfully Wormtail is unique."

"I'm not so sure there, I know a couple of those people that call themselves your followers, most of them aren't the brightest lights around."

"Like whom?"

"Oh, I don't have time to name them all, but for example Bulstrode, Parkinson, Greengrass."

"I've heard about your little fraud with Parkinson."

"I thought a lord such as yourself had more important things to do than listen to the complaints of a brainless girl."

The Lord laughed again, "Yes, you're right, but I love the hurt faces that these broken hearted girls portray."

Ash bit her teeth together, "I hope I was able to bring you joy as well then?" she spat in a fake friendly tone, smiling at her new master.

"Oh, I definitely enjoyed that," the man told her with a small smirk playing on his face.

Ash didn't comment at his words, only stayed quiet, trying to cool down again.

"Will you ever forgive me?" the lord asked her, in a tone of voice that highlighted the fact that this whole scheme, the whole situation that ruined her relationship with Draco was only a joke for him.

Closing her eyes, she imagined a face in front of her inner eye, a face that helped her calm down; high cheekbones, dark skin and long, chocolate brown slanting eyes that saw right through her every thought...

"Zabini, huh? Your new lover? I must say you do change them quite quickly," the hissing voice next to her interrupted, shocking Ash.

"H-how did you?" she asked with an shaking voice as she stared at Voldemort in fear.

"Legilimency," he told her smugly.

"I should have known," she answered in return and instantly built up a wall inside her head.

"Ah, you have the skill of occlumancy," Voldemort hissed, pleased at her seemingly easy usage of the skill.

"I'm a bit rusty because I haven't used it in quite a while, but yes I can use it."

"Legilimency and Occlumancy are a speciality of Slytherins, did you know that? We find it much easier too perfect this skill, compared to Gryffindors or Ravenclaws," Voldemort hissed at her and laughed, but then abruptly stopped, small talk was over. "Now, tell me about Potter and his little friends," he ordered.

"What do you want to know?"

"Where are they?"

"I have no idea, last time I saw them they were safe and sound in Hogwarts."

"What do they know?"

Ash hesitated, "That you're a delusional psychopathic monster and wants to rule the world," she answered after a couple of seconds.

Pain flashed through her body, unbearable pain that she was slowly but unwillingly getting used too. "I'm not delusional, nor am I an psychopath."

When the pain subdued, Ash snickered, "Using the Cruciatus Curse, just because you don't like what someone said, isn't a sign of mental instability?"

Another flash of pain, but Ash was prepared, forcing her mouth to stay shut, she took his curse head on.

When the pain subsided however, she snapped into despair, "Why don't you kill me?" Ash gasped once she could speak again, not caring what would happen. "Why don't you just put me out of this misery?" she screamed when the pain subsided into a faint pounding.

"You just don't understand. You were infected by those words of the Muggle-lovers you call family," he said calmly, "I'm just trying to help you!"

Ash laughed out loud at his words, "Help me?" she laughed, "Help me? If you really want to help me, then kill me this instant!"

Voldemort smiled, "I can't do that, my little one," he snickered, "you're too precious to me."

Ash pulled a face at him and glared, as she sat back down on her chair, like a child that didn't get the candy it wanted.

"Oh, don't be so upset, my love," Voldemort chuckled to himself as he bathed in her misery. "You'll come to understand me and my ideas in no time."

Ash didn't say another word to her tormentor as he started reading some letters and answering them, giving his people the newest orders, that would either send them into prison or death.

"May I go?" the quiet girl next to the working man asked after a long period of silence.

"No, I want you to stay by my side as long as possible."

"Harry won't be coming for me, you know."

"Oh, my little Ashlin, that is where you're wrong. He will come for you, I know he will."


	7. Chapter 7 - Walk

After Voldemort finally dismissed her, Ash could have cursed herself. How could she have let that freak get to her? How could she let her feelings slip and take control of her? Shaking her head violently, Ash let her arm pull backwards and let her hand rush into the nearest wall.

"Ouch!" she whined pulling her hand back. "Bloody..." she muttered shaking out her hand again. "Note to myself... Punching a wall equals pain."

"What are you doing there?" a familiar voice asked from somewhere to her left.

Quickly her head snapped towards the side. "Chase!" she gasped, "I-" she said, looking at the wall and her throbbing hand, "Well, I had a little misunderstanding with the wall, it stood in my way."

Chase raised an eyebrow at her before a grin appeared on his face. "If you say so. By the way, I wanted to inform you that the others and I are going to a party tonight. We wanted to ask if you'd care to join us."

Ash looked at her friend with a frown, "I don't think that would be such a good idea," she said, "the Dark Lord wants to keep my joining as a secret." Without glancing at her friend, she walked away from him, only wanting to be alone right now.

"Ash! Wait!" She heard Chase call after her. Inhaling deeply, Ash slowed down and looked over her shoulder, anticipating his next words. "I'm happy to see that you're alive and healthy!" he said, walking up to her and hugging her tightly. "I was really worried about you."

Stiffening at his touch, Ash nodded before hugging him back. "I know you did," she sighed, closing her eyes and enjoying the physical, innocent touch of another human being, something that she didn't really have for a couple of months now. "Do you really have to go to that party?" she asked softly, whispering into his ear.

Chase stayed silent for a few moments before shaking his head 'no'.

Smiling Ash nodded and took a hold of Chase's hand, leading him to her room.

"Sit down," she ordered and pointed him towards her couch, where she sat down herself.

"What do you want?" Chase asked as he got comfortable on the couch. He knew her well enough to know what she wanted and intended the whole time, but he wanted her to ask him.

"You know what I want," she sighed. "I want to know everything... What happened the night I disappeared? What happened while I wasn't there? What do you know of my family? Tell me!"

Chase swallowed hard, she never was the type to beat around the bush and now she had so many questions...

"Where should I start?"

"Start at _that_ night."

"But I can only give you my perspective," he warned her. "I lost sight off Blaise and Tracy along the way, so when I don't mention them, I have no idea what they were doing," he said, stopping her interrupting the story before he even started it.

"Where to begin?" he muttered. "Well," he started, "I was sitting on one of the couches in the common room during the party, talking to Isabel, when Blaise walked up to me, looking as if he was searching for something…"

_"Chase!" The dark skinned boy with the chocolate eyes called over the loud music that was buzzing through the room._

Turning to look at the other boy, Chase smiled and greeted him. "What's up?"

"Have you seen Ash?" Blaise asked, not looking at Chase, but still scanning the room for the strawberry blond girl.

"No, sorry man, but wasn't she with you the whole time?"

"No... well, most of the time, but she suddenly disappeared," Blaise said sounding worried.

"Oh, don't worry. Ash is a big girl, she can take care of herself."

"I know... but I just have this feeling that something is terribly wrong," Blaise sighed and looked around the room again, concern shining in his eyes.

Frowning, Chase stared up at the boy and nodded, "I'll help you search," Chase said quietly, standing up and clamping one of his hands over the other boys shoulder. "Where did you last see her?"

"At the fireplace."

"And you checked everywhere for her?"

"Yes... except for the dormitories, but why ever would she be there?"

Chase shrugged his eyes venturing around the room, "Mal- Maybe she was tired..."

"That's not what you wanted to say right now. What is it?" Blaise asked giving his friend the evil eye.

Chase gulped and looked away, "I can't see Malfoy anywhere either..." he answered softly.

"She's not with him, if that is what you wanted to incline," Blaise glared.

"I know... but maybe we should check the dormitories just to make sure..."

Blaise fumed at him and snarled, "No, if we go there we're just going in order to prove you wrong."

Together the boys walked up to Tracy who had been searching for Ash as well and told her to check the girls dormitory, while the two of them looked into every room of the boys dormitories.

After a couple of minutes, the three of them met up again and found their search unsuccessful.

"See, I told you she wouldn't be there," Blaise sneered at his friend.

"But we haven't found Malfoy either," Chase sneered back.

That statement made Blaise flip. He roared at Chase and pushed the now trembling boy against the cold stone wall. "She is not with him!" he hissed at him. Suddenly he felt a hand touch his shoulder and as he checked to see who it was, he saw Tracy shaking her head. Grunting, Blaise gave Chase one last rough shove against the rough wall and then let him slide to the ground again.

Chase didn't say anything, only got off the ground, afraid that Blaise would flip again.

"Hey, I heard that you guys were looking for Weasley," a voice suddenly interrupted and three heads snapped at it simultaneously.

"Did you see her?" Blaise asked, looking at the girl in front of him.

"Well, I haven't seen her in a while, but I saw her run out of the common room, shortly after Malfoy slipped away."

As the girl mentioned Malfoy, Chase looked at his friend quickly and nearly felt how Blaise fell into a black pit.

"Thank you," Tracy growled swiftly and dismissed the girl, while her hand grabbed Blaise's arm. Facing Blaise, Tracy said, "Blaise, snap out of it. She's not with that git."

"How do you know? I mean, what if we thought wrong and she isn't over him?" he said sinking into himself.

"Tracy's right, she isn't with him, I'm sure of it. She kissed you, didn't she?"

Blaise looked over at Chase with an hurt expression, "Weren't you the one who suggested it all the time?"

"Yes, but I was joking," Chase sighed and shook his head...

"And then it happened..." Chase said softly, his eyes travelling to the blond girls.

"What happened?" her melodic voice inquired.

Chase looked at her a bit longer, not saying a word, before sighing and continuing.

__

A loud noise, a noise loud enough to overshadow the music that was blasting, interrupted the party. It was one of the strangest noises that the Slytherins had ever heard, like a screech of some sort. They turned out the music and suddenly a voice bombarded through the common room and spoke to them, it was McGonagall's voice.

_**"I repeat, we are under attack, please stay in your common rooms until told otherwise,"**__ the voice stated and left everyone in shock._

Suddenly they heard the crashing of things against the walls and the clashing of metal against stone, voices... a maniac laugh...

Then Blaise jumped into action and raced towards the door.

"What are you doing?" Tracy called after her friend in despair.

"Ash is out there," the dark skin boy called back and Tracy sprang into action as well, following the other boy.

Chase stopped talking.

"And then?" the girl inquired, afraid for her friends.

"... I don't know..."

Ash frowned at him in confusion.

"I... I wanted too, really... but... didn't follow them..."

"Oh," was all she answered and looked away.

"But they weren't harmed in any way," he swiftly added, feeling a bit guilty for his lack of action. "They came back after about an hour or so, with a defeated look, but otherwise unharmed. They told us that the Death Eaters had attacked the castle. They told us that Dumbledore had been murdered, that Malfoy had provided them with a route in and that they escaped, taking you with them..."

Ash sat there in silence as she tried to digest the new information.

"Ash..." Chase said quietly, trying to get a hold of her hand, but she pulled her hand away.

"Please, I need to be alone for a bit," she said softly and stood up from where she had been sitting and walked to the window back turned to him. She didn't even look back once she heard the door open and close again.

She knew that she would have to talk to Chase later on again, to get more information, but right now she couldn't stand any company, except for maybe Blaise's... but what were the chances of ever having him near her again?

Standing at the window, Ash stared out into the darkness of the night, a tear running over her cheek as she let her hand reach out and lightly touch the cold window.

A couple hours later, Ash was still standing in front of her window, marvelling at the gardens that surrounded the Manor, beautiful even at night.

She had seen Nott and Greengrass sneaking out of the house at one point and watched as they ran through the garden until they disappeared in a small labyrinth.

She had watched the fireflies quiver into life and dance around the gardens. Smiling softly at the sight, Ash remembered the night she had been surrounded by thousands of fireflies. The night she had come to the Clearing of Sibyl.

Turning her back towards the window, Ash looked around the room she stood in. It was a nice room, comfortable of sorts, but she couldn't help shake the feeling that it was her jail cell. That she was trapped and would never be able to run free again.

Of course, she could walk around the world freely, there were no chains binding her - with a sigh she glanced at the vibrant red sign on her forearm and caressed it lightly - but this was worse then chains and imprisonment.

Swallowing hard, Ash suddenly felt the dire need to run, run as fast as she could, faster than her legs allowed.

Swiftly she raced to the door of her room, threw it open and ran down the corridors and stairs until she pushed through the doors that led towards the garden.

Suddenly she ran, fleeing from the place she could never escape from, a place worse than Azkaban. Once she reached the labyrinth, Ash morphed into the shape of an wolf and near to flew through the passageways.

At one point she stormed past Theodore and Daphne - who were in a quite stingy position. But she ignored them as she ignored the way she had already come. All she wanted to do right now was run, run as fast as her wolven legs could take her, run as far as she could possibly go.

Everything around her grew silent. The moans of her former friends long gone, the wind's whistles stopping as she slowed to an halt.

She lay down in the middle of the labyrinth and let the nature surround and engulf her. Laying there, she gave a small yawn and drifted into a pleasant, dreamless sleep.

A smell entered her nostrils and made the wolf's head snap up, she knew that smell, but she couldn't quite grasp from where she knew it. A smell that was calling her to it. It beckoned her to follow it as it swooned her softly and silently. It smelled of wood and grass with a hint of magic in it. It was a smell that filled her with hope and happiness.

Hastily the wolf stood up from where she had been lying and let her legs carry her along.

When she neared the source of the smell, she slowed down and anxiously took step after step until she reached the clearing where the smell was coming from. A bright light was coming from the clearing and nearly blinded the eyes that were currently accustomed to the darkness of the night.

She knew this place, she was here before...

Step for step, she neared the clearing and soon she found herself entering the small patch of light in the dark.

What she saw made her hold her breath. In the middle of the clearing was a small pond, which sparkled and glowed. All around it stood creatures of magic, so pure that it made her knees buckle. A small herd of Unicorns with fur that twinkled like stars, a beautiful elf that was presenting them with water from the well and all around them millions and millions of little fairies fluttered around the whole clearing like fireflies lightening up the air.

Taking in the scene before her eyes she willed herself to transform back into her human form and stepped into the clearing. Nothing had changed since her last visit here in the Clearing of Sibyl.

As one the heads of the Unicorns turned, the elf stared and the fairies started to swarm around her. The fairies swooshed around the girl, poking her sides, tickling her with small hands.

_Hello,_ she sighed softly, smiling at the winged creatures. They seemed curious of the creature that just stepped into their clearing, swirling around her like a small tornado. They touched her face and pulled at her clothes, stroked her hair and kissed her face.

Not uttering a word, the fairies pulled the newcomer towards the pond and let her sit down while they braided her hair and played with her clothes.

After a few minutes the elven women, with pure white hair that glistened in the fairies lights like a diamond, made her way over to the girl.

_Welcome back, Ash Weasley. I didn't expect you here again so fast,_ the elf said curiously as she sat down next to her.

_Isn't this clearing in the forbidden forest?_ Ash asked confused.

_No, this place can be reached by many different places,_ the elf explained mysteriously. _You have questions that need answering, I presume._

Thinking of Blaise and Tracy, Ash nodded her head slowly and moved to look into the water, that the elf was holding in her hands. But this time, instead of only showing her the happenings, she was sucked into the liquid, like she would have been into an pensive.

_She was standing in front of the Hogwarts lake, facing the school. Hundreds of golden chairs had been set out in rows, with an aisle running down the centre of them. Looking just behind her, she saw a marble table standing at the front, all chairs facing it. An extraordinary assortment of people had settled into half of the chairs: shabby and smart, old and young. Most of them she did not recognize, but there in the front row, she saw a delegation of the Ministry of Magic and at the end of the row, beside the lake, she saw Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sit down. A few rows behind her family, she saw Tracy and Blaise sit with solemn faces. People were whispering to each other and Fawkes could be heard singing aloud._

At the edge of the forest, Ash even saw the Centaurs stand and watch the lake in silence.

A bit confused at what was happening, Ash looked at both her family and friends longingly and took a couple of steps towards them, but suddenly strange music erupted around her, and as she turned to look where it came from, she saw the Merpeople performing on the lake.

The tune of the music clenched at her heart and squeezed it tightly and at that moment she knew where she was standing. Promptly she turned to look down the aisle and nearly choked when she saw a crying Hagrid walk up the aisle between the chairs, crying and carrying Albus Dumbledore's body wrapped in purple velvet spangled with golden stars.

Biting back tears, she watched the procession walk towards her solemnly. Soon Hagrid passed her and placed the body upon the table in front, where a little tufty-haired man in plain black robes appeared and stood in front of Dumbledore's body, giving a speech that no one really paid attention too.

Once the man finished speaking, bright, white flames erupted around Dumbledore's body and the table upon which it lay: higher and higher they rose, obscuring the body. White smoke spiralled into the air and made strange shapes.

When the fire vanished, in its place was a white marble tomb, encasing Dumbledore's body and the table on which he had rested. There were a few more cries of shock as the centaurs sent a shower of arrows through the air as a sign of respect, but they fell far short of the crowd.

With one final glance at her family and friends, Ash felt the scene vanish and be replaced by another.

Harry was standing at the Astronomy Tower together with Hermione and Ron.

"Do you think he would have done it?" Hermione asked softly, standing next to Harry.

"Who?"

"Draco."

"No, he had already lowered his wand," Harry explained without emotion, "It was all Snape. All the time... it was Snape... I should have done something!"

Looking at the locket in his hands, Harry gave it to Hermione, "Its a fake. Open it."

Ash neared the pair and looked over Hermione's shoulder reading the note she had found inside.

_**To the Dark Lord,  
I know that I'll be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered you secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you have found your match you will be mortal once more.  
R.A.B.**___

"Who's R.A.B.?"

"No idea, but whoever it is has the real Horcrux..."

Silence filled the air again.

"You know.. Ron say that he's alright with you and Ginny."

Harry smiled, "I don't think we should start anything yet, Ginny and me... Not until this is over. I have to finish what Dumbledore started. I don't know where the road will lead me, but I will write you whenever I can."

Hermione looked at Harry in disbelieve. "You know I always admired your bravery, but sometimes you really are thick. You can't really think that you can do this without us, do you? Find all the Horcruxes and destroy them by yourself? " Shaking her head Hermione added, "You need us Harry."

Harry looked at Hermione and Ron and laughed, "I guess you're right."

Again the scene changed and she found herself with Blaise and Tracy in Blaise's room.

"What should we do now?" he asked pacing his room, while Tracy was sitting on his bed.

Tracy watched the boy, staying quiet. She had no idea what they should do.

"The Dark Lord will try to recruit us soon, I know it... What if we-?"

"Don't even think about it, Blaise. Ash would kill us if we even thought about joining the Death Eaters, even if its just in order to free her from their clutches," Tracy cursed glaring at Blaise.

"But what if they torture her? Or make her join them by force!" Blaise asked, despair in his voice.

"No chance that she would ever join them, you have to be willing to accept the mark, Chase told us that, didn't he?" Tracy said, and Ash inhaled sharply, clutching her left forearm tightly to her chest in guilt.

"Yes... I guess you're right...But what should we do?"

"We should probably join forces with Potter," Tracy suggested slowly, standing up and pacing the room as well, "We wouldn't have to make it official. Say that we are neutral ground and sneak them information. Such as in which Manor Ash is held captive and when would be a good time to free her..." she planned.

"And how are we supposed to get this information without being Death Eaters ourselves?" Blaise asked annoyed.

"Chase. He always had a soft spot for me, you know that," Tracy said with a straight face...

The scene changed again, this time only flickering in and out, her friends and her family together in a room of the Leaky Cauldron, shaking hands.

Ash was ripped out of the memories by a sharp pain that rushed from her left arm and through her whole body.

Panting she jumped away from the waters edge and stared at her left forearm, where the Dark Mark was burning black.

_Thank you for letting me see this,_ Ash said in her mind softly, before rushing out of the clearing and apparating to her master's call.

"You summoned me, master?" she said, rushing into his study, sweat on her brows and kneeling before him.

"Where were you?"

"I was taking a walk in the labyrinth," she said, making sure that her mental guards were up and running.

Glaring, the Dark Lord made a slashing movement with his wand and a sharp pain cursed through her right side as her skin slashed open, blood running down her arm freely. "Don't leave the house ever again, not without asking my permission first," he growled and dismissed her.

"Yes, my lord," she said submissively and walked out off the room, cradling her bleeding, ripped arm.

Once she healed it, she went to her room and sat on her bed, staring at the Dark Mark on her arm, which was still pitch black, sucking in all light around it. Theoretically, she could walk around the world freely, there were no chains binding her, but this was worse than chains and imprisonment.

Through this sign, _He_ could reach her whenever he wanted. _He_ could summon and control her whenever he wanted. Through this sign, _He_ became her master and she became his subject. She knew that now. She knew that she could never escape his clutches, but - she promised herself - she would fight him until the very end.


	8. Chapter 8 - New Power

It's been a bit over three months now that Ash had become an Death Eater. Slowly but surely, she was beginning to become accustomed to their ways of thinking, their ideology and acting. The Dark Lord was pleased to watch her grow into the role of the perfect Death Eater. Never straying from his words, never questioning his orders, even suggesting a few new ideas that he'd probably wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

It had been a rough start, but in the last few months, he had seen her full potential, her 'true nature', as he liked to call it. Under his watchful eyes and leadership, she became merciless and ruthless, cold-hearted and morbid. Laughing at pain and destruction, never hesitating to defend her master or give out the harshest punishments. He had soon begun to see the petite girl as his protégée, a prodigy of the Dark Arts.

But what he didn't know - and as far as Ash was concerned, wouldn't know for quite some time, - was that she despised herself for all these acts.

In front of the other Death Eaters and her Lord, she had become an truly accomplished servant of the Dark Lord. She was quick to learn the Dark Arts and even faster to use those skills against any Death Eater, Snatcher and otherworldly creature that confronted her 'master' or screwed up his mission.

But the one thing that did not change was her reasons for complying to the will of those who had forced this life onto her. Whenever she could, she found a way to slip Snape the newest plans and missions, to give him ideas on how to screw up the missions and which of the missions where the most important to hinder, hoping that they reached her family and that they would be able to defend those ordered to be killed and destroyed.

She had taught herself to smile around her fellow Death Eaters, to act just as they did and laugh at the jokes they did about the poor souls that they killed. She acted as if these acts were nothing but a sick game, a story that could be lived and forgotten the next day. But she knew that this fell out off all bounds of what was decent or acceptable. This was the work of demons.

The only thing that she could be thankful for, was that the Dark Lord wanted to keep her near and never let her go on one of the killing sprees the other Death Eaters were happily sent on. For she knew that if confronted with a poor innocent soul that begged for his life, she would not be able to attack.

"Ashlin," the Dark Lord hissed softly, patting his arm rest, summoning her to come to him.

"Yes, my lord?" she asked softly as she followed his summons and sat down next to him.

"I need you to seek out the children again, tell them that they're not working fast enough! There's still too many brats running around that are disregarding my reign," he told her softly.

"But, my lord, they're already doing their best, there are to many Order-brats running around and reminding them about Dumbledore's death and his fight. You have to give them time, we will be able to make them come to their senses, once they see the ... right in your ways," she urged.

"I said, make them work faster! Kill the Order-brats if they need too!" he hissed in a tone of voice that made Ash's skin crawl.

"Yes, my lord," she said quietly and bowed her head to him before leaving the room and rushing to one of the fireplace's that were scattered around the Manor.

Ever since the school had started again two months ago in September, Ash had been made responsible for the teenage fraction of the Death Eaters. She was the one who sent out the orders, she was the one the others came to with their concerns, she was the one who was held responsible when things did not go according to plan.

This position had already proven to her a very painful experience, for the teens were less merciless then their elders, often felt shame for the things they were ordered to do or... as was the case in many cases just didn't know what the order was because Ash had failed to mention it to them.

But it had also given her a clear advantage and power. Her main contact was Chase, a subordinate that she cruelly used in order to gain information about her family and had chosen as her indirect contact with Blaise and Tracy.

Tracy had been careful to stay in contact with Chase over the summer holidays and the last weeks. She had tried to gain knowledge about the plans of the Death Eaters as well as the whereabouts of Ash. At first Chase had been careful with his responses, trying to let as little information slip as possible, but as soon as Ash had found about the contact, she had started to hint him what he could write and what he should keep a secret.

Now Tracy knew where Ash was, but didn't know that she was no prisoner here in the sense of dungeons and chains.

"Chase Orion," she said, as she threw in floo powder and stuck her head in the fire of the fireplace. Swiftly she saw Chase in front of her, holding her head on the tip of his wand.

"Ash!" he said with an delighted face.

"Hey Chase," she answered with a small smile. "How are things going over there?"

"Great," he said, but she saw his eyes dart to the upper left - she had learned to detect truth from lie in the past months.

"You're lying to me Chase, what's happening over there?"

Chase swallowed and looked at her image in the fire in guilt, "Your cousin and her friends are still getting in our way. I don't really have a problem in Slytherin, but the others... Especially Iain has problems, but its not really hard to figure out why, with Weasley and the others being in the same house..."

"Well, tell them to try harder. The Dark Lord is getting a bit impatient, I can only get him off your heels for so long."

"What do you suggest we do?"

Ash stayed quiet for a while, thinking over their next steps. She didn't want Ginny and the other children from the Order to get hurt in any way, but she needed them to stop their interfering if she wanted to keep her subordinates save from the Dark Lords wrath. But her priority was Ginny's safety.

"Try talking to them again, maybe try to bribe them. At least one of them should be weak-hearted enough to waver at a nice amount of money and protection."

"But we tried that already! They wont waver!" Chase gasped in despair.

"Try harder!"

"Why can't we curse them a bit? Make them see the safety of being on our side?"

Ash wanted to lash out at Chase, but stopped herself. "They already see that the followers are safe from the teachers... punishments, that should prove enough. Anyway, you heard what I said. Try harder, work in your free time if you have to! Just get them to succumb to our will!" she spat.

Chase's face hardened and he nodded, "Alright Ashlin, as you command," he said, as he always did when she fell into her ordering mode.

Heaving a sigh, Ash shook her head and asked, "Did you hear anything from Tracy?"

Chase grew a small smile and nodded, "Yeah, she told me that she was back in England and staying here until Halloween is over."

"Halloween, you say?" Ash said with a small frown - she was debating her options again. "Why don't you invite her to the Halloween Party the Dark Lord is holding?" she said slowly, devising a plan in her head.

"Really? Do you think I could do that? Will the Dark Lord allow that?"

"I'll put in a good word for you, I know how much you like her," Ash said with a faint smile and she went over all of her options.

"But she will want to bring Blaise as well..." Chase said, in a sunken voice.

"So what? Tell her she can bring him as well, I'll send out the invitations as soon as I get the OK with the Lord."

Chase smiled at her friend light heartedly, "Thank you, Ash!"

"Everything for my little brother, right?"

"Everything for you, sis."


	9. Chapter 9 - Halloween

It was the evening of 31st October 1998, most commonly known as Halloween.

A strawberry blond girl was standing in her room and let her fingers glide down the red dress that she had just slipped over her body. Looking up into the mirror, she eyed herself up and down. The blood red dress accentuated her every curve, but still managed to cover up every imperfection that she found in her figure. Her hair lay loosely around her shoulders and her dark make-up made her emerald green eyes shine through and pierce whatever she looked at.

She only wore two simple pieces of jewelry, that meant the world to her and that she never took off since she had retrieved her belongings. Around her neck she slowly fingered the amulet that she had gotten from her aunt, not quite a year ago, for her birthday. It was a very simple flat piece of metal with runes engraved into it and a ring that hung on the same chain, placed right in front of the amulet. The other piece of jewelry was the simple moonstone ring that had given her for Christmas by a very important boy.

With a satisfied nod at the mirror, the girl slipped into her blood red stiletto heels, but she didn't leave the room yet.

The party that she was about to go to had already started a few minutes ago and she had already heard the laughs and greetings as more and more people joined the festivities. She knew most of the people that were gathering in the lower floor, people she worked side by side with, people she was used to ordering around, people she despised. But there were two people there that she couldn't wait to see, two people that her heart had longed for, for such a long time.

There was a knock on the door.

"I'm coming," the girl called out, letting her gaze sweep over her mirrored body once more. Bracing herself for the next couple of hours, the girl walked towards the door gracefully and smiled as she opened up and was welcomed by the pale face of her master.

At the first sight of the pair, the room went eerily quiet. Every conversation stopped on the spot, the air went out of the peoples lungs and the lights seemed to flicker in doubt.

Step by step the cloaked figure slowly swept down the stairs, next to him the petite strawberry blond girl with the blood red dress. Brimming with confidence the pair of them descended to the other party guests.

A smile played on the girls lips as she let her cold eyes fly over the assembled party, evaluating every person to his core, making a shiver run even through the oldest of them all.

When the pair reached the bottom of the staircase, the girl turned to look at the cloaked figure beside her, bowing deeply before walking away without an verbal exchange of words.

Two figures at the other end of the room watched this show in horror when they realized who the girl next to the cloaked man was. Horrified they watched the girl walk up to a group of teenagers, their former friends, and talk to them with superiority.

A pug-faced girl giggled at the others words, let her hand rest on the thin arms of the other, who smiled at her shallowly. The third girl, with the white blond hair, held onto the shoulders of another girl squeezing tightly as she introduced her to the strawberry blond, as if introducing her to the Dark Lord himself.

Another group of teenagers joined them, all herding around the red dressed girl as if she were their sheppard, while the centre of attention regarded them all with a cold merciless air.

Every now and again, they noticed the girl's eyes stray away from her minions towards them. Eyeing the group of three up and down. The one of them was a minion of hers, just like the rest of those flocking around her. Sure, he was more important then the others, nearly a friend again, but still only a minion. But the other two were so much more. For one there was the beautiful black haired girl standing in the middle of the group, her brown eyes screaming at her. She was wearing a black cocktail dress with a French tulle skirt and a shirred satin waistband accented with large Swarovsky rhinestones cinches around her waist. The other was a tall boy, with high cheekbones, dark skin, and long, brown slanting eyes that regarded her with confusion that slowly morphed into disdain while watching her intently.

After a few more minutes, the blond girl excused herself from the sheep and walked up to the three of them, slowly, calculating every step. Chase was the first to greet her, by walking a few steps in her direction, while the others stayed still.

"Ash! Its awesome to see you again, in real life that is!" Chase said snickering a bit as he hugged his friend.

Not letting her eyes stray from the other two, Ash hugged her friend back and smiled at him when they pulled apart again. "Its good to see you too," she answered and then let her eyes rush over to the other two again. "Hello," she whispered, nor really audible, but the others heard.

"Hello," they said in unison, unsure of how to react. They hadn't thought that they would see her again tonight, like this. Swiftly their gazes met and a she saw terror fill their eyes.

Eyeing her cautiously, Blaise opened his mouth to speak, but Ash cut him off, "Its nice to see you again," she said slowly and closed the distance between the her and her friends and let her hand slip around both their shoulders, pulling them into a uncomfortable hug.

"This is not the time for questions nor answers, meet me in an hour in the gardens," she whispered hurriedly and pulled back again, letting the other two shocked.

"Well, I have a few more engagements I have to see through, I will catch you again later," she said with a small innocent smile, before turning herself away from the two of them and walking away, towards the Dark cloaked figure who had his eyes set on her ever since she had walked up to the two outsiders.


	10. Chapter 10 - Conversation

Ash walked down the stairs, finding her former friends in the crowd below her right away. Had it been a different situation, a different time and place, she would have loved to just run up to them hold them tightly and tell them everything and nothing at all. However, she kept hold of herself and with her nose held up high. She did not go near then, nor call out to them, or made any sign of seeing them. Patiently she waited for the young Death Eaters to gather around her and then casually talked to them with an aloof attitude. All the time, she never let the other two out of her peripheral vision.

Pansy tried to slime her way around Ash once again and Daphne, following Pansy's lead, introduced her to her little sister hoping to gain her favour. Also the boys crowded around her. Draco once again trying to sneak his arm around her waist, but Ash stopped him with only a glance.

When she thought that enough time had passed, she excused herself from the others and walked up to Tracy and Blaise who were standing next to Chase.

During the time she had been with the others, she had watched the others carefully. At first there was shock - they hadn't expected to see her today. Then came a look of extreme confusion - what was she doing here, especially next to Voldemort? Why were the others trying to suck up to her? Next there was anger - did she betray us and her family? At one point, she saw that they didn't know what to think nor feel any more, that's when she went over to them.

She hadn't stayed long, said hello in the most distant way she could manage and then told them to meet her outside on the balcony further into the night.

When she had planned their reunion in her mind, Ash had millions of possible words and ideas prepared. Went through conversations over and over again. Wondered day in, day out what to tell them and how to tell them.

Now that it was really about to happen, her nerves nearly got to her. However, as soon as she felt ready, she made sure that the Tracy and Blaise saw her as she strayed towards the empty balcony, summoning her black robes on the way to fight the cold.

Just before walking through the glass doors however, a hand caught her arm tightly. Glancing sideways, her eyes focused on Snape.

After a short tempered conversation, Ash ripped her arm out of his grip and walked towards the fresh air and her friends that were waiting on her.

"Blaise! Tracy!" Ash called out when she walked onto the silent balcony, watching the two young adults that were silently talking to each other carefully.

Turning around, Blaise and Tracy looked at the girl but didn't say a word.

Smiling, Ash couldn't stop herself any more and ran up the boy, threw her arms around him and moved her head in order to give him a kiss. But instead of following her lead, he turned his head slightly, so that instead of reaching his mouth she was forced to give him a small peck on the cheek. Moreover, his body was tense under her touch and he never relaxed while she had her arms around him.

Noticing his discomfort, Ash let her arms fall to her side again and took two steps backwards, giving Blaise back his personal space like she would a stranger. It stung her that he was so cold towards her, but she couldn't blame him for it, could she? Glancing at Tracy, she saw that she wouldn't receive a warm welcome there either.

"You wanted to talk to us?" she asked Ash icily.

Ash looked down on the floor, "Don't be like that," she whispered.

"Don't be like what?"

"This cold and distant. I... I... I thought..."

"You thought what?"

Ash opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again and shook her head sadly, "Why do you suddenly seem to hate me?"

Blaise's eyes went wide and he spoke for the first time, while Tracy just shook her head softly, "I don't hate you. I could never hate you," Blaise said with a sigh, moving his palm to cup her cheek.

"Are you sure? Because you certainly behave as if you do," Ash said, tight lipped.

"Yes. Yes I'm sure. It was just so... so... Weird seeing you here, between all the Death Eaters. After they kidnapped you I thought you were locked away in some dungeon or worse... dead."

Ash laughed, "No. They let me out of that dungeon when I joined them," she said quietly, intent to hide the despair in her words.

"Joined them?" Tracy asked shocked, hoping she heard her friend incorrectly, but already fearing the worst.

"Yes," she said, "Didn't you see it when we were inside? I didn't have my robe on in there." Turning to look at the two of them, Ash pulled up her sleeve and presented the vivid red tattoo on her left forearm.

"Bloody..." Tracy said and took a step away from Ash with fear in her eyes.

"It's... It's not as bad as you think," Ash said swallowing hard, trying to smooth the situation again.

"Not as bad as we think?" Tracy hissed, Blaise stayed quiet. "They killed your parents, Ash. They kidnapped you and manipulated many of your friends into becoming one of them. They tortured you, didn't they? Chase did mention something like that once, they make you kill, don't they? And you say that its not as bad as we think?"

Ash bit her lower lips. She knew this was all so wrong. She should be confessing everything to them, but still the words she exchanged with Snape still rang in her mind.

_Glancing sideways Ash faced a scowling Snape, "What?" she asked annoyed._

"Don't tell them anything," he hissed.

Ash stared at Snape, shock and horror apparent in her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"Just what I have said. It's not safe to tell them anything, yet."

Anger flashed in her emerald eyes as she regarded Snape with an menacing glare, "Give me one good reason," she hissed at her former teacher.

"It's too dangerous, it would mess up our plans," Snape said.

"You don't know that, it could be a help for us," she snapped and added, "Not good enough."

"They can't do occlumancy and the Dark Lord will be suspicious of your talk when you come inside again," Snape went on and this time saw that his attempts bore fruits. Ash bit her lower lip and glanced at their Lord in annoyance.

"What do you suggest I tell them then?"

"You'll figure something out," he told her with what faintly looked like pride in his eyes.

With an annoyed growl, Ash ripped out of his grasped and slowly stalked to the balcony, trying to figure out what she should tell her friends.

Looking away from them, she muttered that they wouldn't understand.

"Then try to explain," Tracy said with anger in her voice.

"No, you know what. You try to find out yourself," she said, glaring at Tracy with a bit of annoyance and then glancing at Blaise pleadingly, hoping that he would forgive her lack of explanation and wouldn't change his feelings for her, that she saw still bloomed in his eyes.

Huffing and puffing, Tracy took hold of Blaise's arm. "You know what. Forget it. I'm sorry for ever becoming your friend and believing in you," her friend laughed bitterly, "I really thought that I knew you Ash. How could you betray us and your family in this way?" she growled. "Come on, Blaise we're leaving."

Silently Ash watched as Tracy pulled Blaise back into the house, while his confused and hurt chocolate eyes stayed on her seemingly emotionless emerald eyes, seeing an underlying, hidden despair in them that confused him to no end.

It felt as if somebody had rammed a stake into her heart, twisted it around and then ripped it out again, leaving multiple splinters behind. But she knew that this was the safest way for both them and her.

Leaning on the railing, Ash watched as the Dark Lord looked at her retreating friends and smirked at the despair as he watched the balcony scene in their minds. Angry, Ash turned her back to the manor and clenched her fists tightly, wishing she had a wall around her to hit thoroughly. Biting her lips, Ash slowly walked along the balcony and down the stairs that lead to the gardens.

Suddenly she heard a sound, like a twig snap a few meters away from her behind one of the bushes.

"Who's there?" she asked loudly, letting her hand glide into one of her pockets, gripping her wand.

"Who's there?" she called out softly, while gripping her wand tightly and glaring into the darkness of the bushes.

There were a few seconds of shocked silence, in which she pulled out her wand, getting ready to attack.

"A-Ash?" A shaky voice suddenly reached her from the darkness, making her stiffen in horror. Swiftly she glanced behind herself making sure that everyone was still inside the manor.

"Ron? Is that really you?" she asked confused as she slowly walked down the last steps of the Terrance, towards the place the voice had called out from.

"Yes!" he said and stepped out of the shadows. Seeing him made her heart fill with delight again, she never thought that she would ever see him again, smiling at her so carefree. For a couple of meters she quickened her step, not questioning why they were here, not thinking about her situation. Forgetting that anything ever happened to distance her cousin and herself. But before she reached him, his next words made her hit reality in free fall once again. "We came to save you!" he grinned. Ash stopped short.

Thousands of thoughts raced through her mind in this second. Most dominant, the question of what to tell them, how to react. Thinking back to Blaise and Tracy, Ash took one step back, away from her beloved cousin and started laughing manically, shocking her potential rescuers into silence. "You want to save me?" she gasped in humour before shaking her head disbelievingly, "Whoever said I needed saving?"

Harry and Hermione who had just stepped out of the shadows as well, froze in shock.

"W-What do you mean?" Ron asked not really understanding what his cousin just told them.

"I mean just what I'm saying, Weaselbe," she sneered, breaking her own heart over again as she watched the despair in her cousins face.

When the others didn't say anything, Ash let her gaze flicker towards the Manor again, making sure no one was there. "You shouldn't be here," she finally said and turned back to them.

This time Hermione spoke, "Ash, I have no idea what they did to you, but we've come to bring you back with us to your family!"

Ash swallowed hard, that girl was making it harder then it needed to be. Closing her eyes for a fraction of a second, Ash took a deep breath and glared at the trio in front of her with merciless eyes. "I already am with my family," she hissed and pulled out her wand.

Shocked at her words, the trio started at her in horror and oversaw the dread in her eyes. Soon someone would come looking for her. Soon someone could come and see the three outsiders talking to her. Soon... all too soon.

When they hadn't moved after a minute, Ash pointed her wand at the three people in front of her. "Leave!" she hissed loudly, making them jump.

"No!" Harry said furiously. "I will not leave you in the hands of those monsters again!"

Ash looked at Harry with a sad smile and shook her head, she knew what she was about to do was wrong and unforgivable, but she needed them to leave now! She needed them to forget about ever rescuing her again. She needed them to believe that she was too far gone to be rescued. "But you let them have me, Harry," she whispered in a soft, sad, heartbreaking voice as she walked up to him, taking his face into her hands and looking into his eyes intently. "You let them kidnap me, you let them take me away from my family, my friends. You let me witness the murder of Dumbledore, you made all of this happen, Harry. It's all your fault," she whispered into his ear as she watched the despair in his eyes take over his mind. "Blame yourself, Harry, for it's true that you are the villain in this story, not the hero."

"No..." he whispered softly shaking his head.

"They made me one of them, you know? I'm one of them now. I was enlightened!" she said a happy grin spread over her face.

Next she turned to face Ron, "The mud bloods' stole our magic," she said and stole a glaring glance at Hermione. "They're thieves and murderers, we just want to bring back the world as it was intended to be. We're pure-bloods Ron, you must understand this. Some small part of you must understand this! We are supposed to rule this world! We! Not them!" she squeaked, just loud enough to be sure that no one would hear her inside, but that she scared them enough to think that maybe someone could have heard.

The three of them stared at the girl that they came to save in horror, "You're under the Imperius Curse! You must be!" Ron said with a shaking voice.

Ash shook her head softly. "No, Ron. I just finally understood what my Lord wants to accomplish! Think about it Ron! We have so much power and yet we are hiding from the muggles as if they were the powerful creatures! As if they ruled the world! Isn't that the stupidest idea that you've ever heard?" she said, rolling her eyes before glancing at the manor again.

Again she took a few steps towards Ron and hugged him tightly, "Ron," she whispered, "Don't tell them! But can you still remember the time when we were little kids and some bullies came after you? Can you still remember what I told you after I got them to leave you alone?"

Again she looked over her shoulder and stepped a few meters away, "Ron," she said her voice getting a more determined tone, "I want you to think about it. You are better than those two you call friends! You're a pure-blood! I understand that you won't understand today, but think about it.

"But now you three have to go!" she said and turned away, but Ron stopped her from leaving.

"We're not leaving without you!" he said fiercely.

"Go!" she yelled and sent them flying through the air with a strong levitation spell, that 'repelled' them over the labyrinth and the surrounding fences.

"Ashlin!" a loud hissing voice boomed over the grounds of the Malfoy Manor in a threatening and aggravated tone. The voice was followed by an agonizing female scream that chilled the three friends outside the Manor, the two leaving guests that just were just about to walk out of the Manor as well as the guests still partying inside to their bones.


	11. Chapter 11 - Better Luck Next Time

A scream penetrated the grounds of the Malfoy Manor, so high and pain-filled that it made the bones of the Manor guests itch and twist.

"I've got her," the Death Eater called out in a horse voice and looked up the at the dark clothed figure, her wand held out and pointing at a writhing girl that had tried to sneak past her.

Even though she couldn't see the face of the dark figure, she knew he was smirking, proud of his little protégée for the merciless execution. "Good job, Ashlin. Bring her inside and down into the dungeons again. Oh and Ashlin, how was she able to escape?"

Putting the wand down again, Ash released her captive from the agony, Ash turned to look at her Lord. "I will be able to answer you by tomorrow morning, my Lord," she said with a low bow and stayed in that position until she saw the dark figure nod and turn away, walking back into the Manor to enjoy the rest of the party.

When he was gone, Ash closed her eyes and let a shaky breath escape her lungs. Her body was shivering without control. Had Voldemort come a second earlier through the porch, had he not been distracted by the dirty ragged girl that tried to sneak away from the manor, he would have had her. She would have been dead in this very second.

Glancing at the girl, Ash bit her lower lip. Without saying a word, she swiftly walked over to the girl and turned her around with her foot, trying to find out who she is. The girl was filthy as filthy can be, mud and moss were caught in her hair and dirty was smeared around her face. She was wearing a torn up blouse and trousers that rank of sweat and filth. But she had something in her eyes, a look so full of anger and despise that made Ash forget her role for a second, "Are you alright?" she asked, shocking her captive and herself.

The girl sneered and spat, "Do I look alright to you?"

Ash swiftly regained her composure and sneered down at the girl. Without saying another word, Ash sweeped the girl of the ground and levitated her two meters in front of her own body, heading back into the manor.

When Ash walked past the party, the guests parted with a look of disgust painted onto their faces. Ash didn't care. Swiftly she bellowed for one of them to open the door to the dungeons and levitated the girl through them, following after her.

A little time later, they reached an empty cell and Ash threw the other inside, inching into the cell just behind the other.

"Who are you?" Ash asked in a calm tone of voice once the heavy door behind her closed and she lit her wand for light.

The girl didn't answer, only crowded one of the corners and glared at her.

"I asked who you are," Ash said a bit more forceful, she wasn't used to people defying her.

The girl didn't answer, only spat at the direction of Ash's feet, actually hitting it with precision.

Furious, Ash pointed her wand at the cowering girl, only catching herself midway threw the torture spell. Shocked with herself, Ash took an step back and let the wand fall onto the ground. She had pointed her wand at an innocent girl. On her own account! How could that happen?

Shocked she shook her head in despair and lost sight of the filthy girl. At least, until she was hit with the Averte Statura spell, that made her fly against the wall. Groaning, Ash picked herself of the ground and looked at the trembling girl before her, the wand still raised at her with a trembling hand.

"Good shot," Ash said with a chuckle, "And what now?"

"W-What do you mean?" the girl asked, the confidence she saw before fluttering by the second, she didn't know the strawberry blond girl didn't know what to do now - had no plan.

"I mean, what do you want to do now that you have my wand and me in its shooting range? Do you want to kill me now? Or just bind me and leave me here for the others to find? How do you want to get out of this locked room without the correct password? What will you do now?"

The girl swallowed.

"If I could choose, would you please kill me? I don't have much going for me right now."

The girl looked at the Death Eater in front of her confused. "Why would you want to die?" she asked.

The red head looked up at her and frowned, "Why do you care? Just get it over with please. Oh and to get out you have to say 'Scarlet'. Also, this time when you get to the garden, just apparate away as far away as you can! Theres no spell to stop you."

The girl didn't move. Unsure.

"The more you hesitate, the harder it'll get. Now please, kill me!" Ash said furiously and started to right herself on the wall.

Still the girl didn't move an inch.

"What are you waiting for?"

"An answer. Why do you want to die?"

Ash snorted, "I'm a Death Eater. I follow an psychopathic scum bag, isn't that enough reason?"

The girl frowned one again. "Wasn't it your own choice to become an Death Eater?"

Ash laughed out short, "You don't know this world I'm living in. Now would you please get on with it."

The girl looked around the cell for a second, her eyes lingering on the door. But then she shook her head and sat down on the opposite wall of Ash, the wand still pointing at the other girl. "I still have time. Tell me."

Ash stared at the girl shocked, was she stupid? The longer she allowed Ash to regain her composure, the less chances she had to actually get out of here!

Ash sighed, "You want me to tell you why I want to die? Well, first tell me what you saw outside the manor?"

"I saw you on the balcony and then there were three others that you started talking to. I don't know what you said, I has focusing on sneaking past you unnoticed. But then you sent them away and this dark figure saw me."

Ash smiled, "You know, from what you saw... It would already force me to kill you if I were to get out off here."

The girl stiffened, eyes getting wide as they stared at each other, "You won't, I've got the wand."

"For how long?" Ash smiled cheekily, the other was getting unsure of her actions once again. Chuckling, Ash continued, "So, you want to know all about me now? I'll tell you but... Could I know your name first?"

"Chris Darkmoor," the other told her without hesitation.

"Did you also attend Hogwarts? I've never heard of you..."

"You're the one who is supposed to talk," Chris snapped.

Ash put her hands up in defence, "Alright, alright. No need to get worked up about it. Well, my name is Ash Weasley..." Ash saw the girls eyes widen once again, "Ah, you've heard of me?"

"No, but of the Weasley's. Aren't they friends with Harry Potter?"

"Yes, they are... I was good friends with him as well. Actually, he was here tonight. You saw him, the one with the glasses?" Ash stayed quiet for a second, letting this information sink in with the other.

"What were they doing here?"

"They wanted to save me."

"Save you? From what?"

"The Death Eaters."

"But you're one of them."

"They didn't know."

The girl stayed quiet.

"I was kidnaped five months ago. I was thrown in the Dungeons and left there for about a months time. Last half of the month I tried to starve myself, hoping to be a goner before the Dark Lord wanted to talk to me, to get information out of me... They came about a week to early for my plan to take effect.

"They tortured me. They yelled at me. They threatened me, but I didn't succumb. Until they threatened my ex-boyfriend. I know its stupid, he's my ex and he really deserved that crucio... But I can't see him hurt," Ash said quietly, her eyes focused on the floor.

"You still love him?"

Ash's head snapped up, "No," she yelled, just a little to loudly, just a little to quickly. "Maybe?" she admitted for the first time in months and months of denial.

"Anyway, back to the story. When they threatened him, I gave in to the Lords wishes and became a Death Eater four months ago. Shortly after my turning, another Death Eater came to me! Soon he became my fellow conspirator," Ash said smiling.

"Conspirator?"

"He came to me, knowing that at my heart I wasn't a Death Eater yet and asked me to help him fight the Dark Lord from the inside. Gather information, intercept orders , change them a bit. It's dangerous, but it was worth the pain."

"So you're not really a Death Eater, but a spy?"

"Yes."

"But then why would Harry Potter try to save you?"

"They don't know about us. Only ones that know are him and I."

"And what do you do with the information?"

"We plan on making the Death Eaters lives as hard as possible."

Chris sighed and stared at the other girl hard, trying to figure out if what she was saying was the truth or not. "And what now?"

"Well its your decision really. Either you give me back my wand and I will continue my sham, or you kill me right here, right now and escape. It's all up to you," Ash said and watched as Chris tortured herself, trying to make the right decision.

The filthy looking girl stared hard into Ash's eyes, trying to see how much truth was in the story she just heard. Finally she dropped the wand onto the floor.

The Death Eater in front of her didn't move for a second as she stared at the wand falling onto the floor. Then, slowly, as if unsure if she was being tricked or not, she leaned forward and crawled towards the wand. Taking one last glance at the girl, Ash picked up the wand and jumped off the ground.

"You believed me," she muttered and stared at the now again frightened girl in confusion.

"Seemingly."

Ash snorted in distaste. "You should have decided to run and leave me here."

"We'll see."

"How did you manage to escape?"

"The guard forgot to lock the door properly. Kept on ranting about missing a party." Ash nodded and turned to walk out of the cell. "Wait!" the girl called out before Ash could close the door and lock it. "What now?"

"What do you mean?"

"What will you do now?"

"I will go back outside and join the party of course."

"But..."

"But what?"

"I thought you would help me now!"

Ash raised a eyebrow at the girl, "Why would you think that?"

"You said that you weren't a Death Eater!" the girl cried.

"I never said I was a charity either," Ash shrugged and started her initial movements once again.

The filth covered girl looked at her in despair once again. "I should have killed you when I had the opportunity," she sneered, tears starting to well up in her eyes.

Ash stopped for another short second. Sighing she said, "The next time when you're presented with an escape route, disapparate as soon as you step outside the building. Oh, and before I forget," Ash turned around swiftly and began invading the girls mind. Pushing her story far, far, far into the darkest places in her memory, so that she would not remember their encounter until she triggered a specific spot that Ash decided would be when the other girl was at home once again.

Swiftly Ash pulled shut the door and locked it tightly. "Hope you're lucky a second time," she whispered to herself.

Looking down her clothes once again, Ash pulled a disgusted face and waved her wand, cleaning her dress from the dirt and stink of the cell.

Inspecting her dress one last time, she nodded to herself and followed the sound of music back to the still on-going party.

Just before joining the crowds once again, Ash closed her eyes one last time and exhaled quietly, before opening her eyes once again and pushing the doors open. The eyes in her surroundings once again strayed towards her proud figure standing in the door. Head held high Ash moved through the crowd.

_Ashlin,_ she heard a hissing sound in her head. Looking up she saw the Dark Lord staring at her in anticipation. Swiftly she gracefully walked up to him and bowed shallowly - it was more of an inclining nod of her head then anything else.

"Everything is clear again," she whispered when she stood in front of Voldemort once again.

"How did the girl escape?"

"Her guard was an eager party-goer it seems. I will take care of it as soon as the guests leave, my Lord."

The bald creature looked at the girl intensely before nodding his head slowly. "Alright. Enjoy yourself, my love."

"Thank you, Lord," Ash said with a shallow bow once again and turned around once again to join the crowd.

"Ash," a familiar voice called out making her stop and turn around. "Are you alright? What was that scream?" the boy in front of her asked softly, concern filling his eyes.

Ash looked at the boy and smiled warmly, biting her lower lip shyly, "It was nothing you need to be concerned about," she muttered softly and took a step towards the other. Step after step she closed the distance between them until she stood right in front of him. Breathing in his scent and and staring up into his confused eyes.

_"You still love him?"_

Ash's head snapped up, "No," she yelled, just a little to loudly, just a little to quickly. "Maybe?" she admitted for the first time in months and months of denial.

"Want to dance?" she asked quietly.

Surprise filled his eyes as he looked down at her, but then the tell-tale smirk took over his features once again. "Always."


	12. Chapter 12 - Morning Report

A yawn escaped the girls lips, as the first light rays reached out for her and captured her body.

"Good morning, Miss Weasley," a elderly house elf said softly as the girls eyes fluttered open and looked over at her.

"Morning," she said with a slight smile on her lips.

A bit confused, the house elf coxed her head to one side and said, "If I may say so, you seem very happy today, miss."

Ash raised her eyebrows at the nosy elf, "and normally I don't?"

"Not really, ma'am," the elf said honestly.

Ash looked at the house elf a bit confused with her morning blurred sight, but then smiled and chuckled, "You've got a point there, Fina."

Still smiling, she slowly slipped out of the bed covers and moved towards the bathroom door.

Ash wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Stretching her limbs on the way, Ash noticed that she was in her birthday suit, but shrugged it off. Then stifling a yawn, Ash pushed open her bathroom door and froze on the spot.

"Good Morning," a voice echoed through the bathroom. On the other side of the bathroom door looking at her over his shoulder, a boy stood, wearing not much more then her.

"Draco! What are you doing here?" she gasped and tried to cover herself as she noticed she was standing in front of her ex.

The blond boys eyebrow moved up and his eyes strayed a bit upwards to the right - he was remembering something,- "Don't tell me you don't remember..." he said softly, ignoring her failing attempts to hide herself behind her small hands and walking up to her.

Suddenly it all came back to her.

They had been dancing. They had been talking. They had been drinking... They had...

"Last night..." Ash shook her head furiously. "Fuck."

"That we did," Draco joked trying to hold back a sly grin and failing miserably.

Ash looked up at the boy annoyed, but then couldn't keep annoyed at him and started to giggle quietly. "Why?" she asked herself jokingly and shook her head.

"Why what?"

"Why did I let myself be caught in your spider net once again?"

Draco looked at her confused before smirking, "Because I weave them too good," he chuckled and grabbed a hold of her, pulling her into his embrace and picking her off the ground. Giving off a soft squeal, Ash tried to free herself of his clutch while he carried her back to the bed. When they arrived there, he let her fall onto the soft covers of the bed.

Next thing she knew was her body touching the silk sheets of her bed and Draco looking down at her with a very intriguing smirk.

"I have a deja vu," Draco chuckled softly as he leaned down. Ash felt the bed give into his weight as he hovered above her.

Ash chuckled as well, "I'm having one as well, but I don't think we're having the same one..." she said grinning.

"What do you mean?"

Ash showed a smirk of her own as she pushed Draco to one side, so that she was now hovering over him and he was holding himself up with his elbows. Seeing him getting excited, Ash leaned down and kissed him on the cheek before pushing off the bed and walking away, "I have to work."

Draco stared after her, mouth open and eyes glistening in annoyed shock, before letting himself fall backwards and giving a short laugh, "I should have known."

Ash - half dressed - stuck her head out of her walk-in-closet, "Should have known what?"

"That it won't be that easy."

"Yeah, you should have," Ash snickered pulling a shirt over her upper body and walking back towards her bed and leaning over his figure again. "But... I think I can assure you that it won't be all that hard either," she whispered into his ear before tugging his earlobe lightly with her teeth and pulling away again.

Smirking down at him, Ash straightened up and walked out of the door.

Letting the door fall shut behind her, Ash leaned against it lightly. "Merlin..." she muttered to herself, still shocked that she allowed this to happen. "What was I thinking?" she asked herself as she pushed off the door and started walking towards the stairs and the kitchen, thoughts racing in her head.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice somebody coming around the corner until she ran into them and fell onto her buttocks.

"Ouch," she growled, "watch -," she started but stopped when she saw who was in front of her. "Severus," she said surprised, "I'm sorry I didn't see you there. But what a pleasant surprise, I thought you were already back at Hogwarts"

"That's alright," Severus said in his usual dark voice, "I wanted to talk to you before I left, I was just about to go look for you."

"Well, you've found me, what can I do for you?" she asked while accepting his hand to pull her off the ground.

"I need to discuss something with you, do you have time right now?"

Ash straightened up, "I was just on my way to the dining hall and then to the dungeons on a request from the Dark Lord..." she said debating. "But you have to get going, so I'm sure I can squeeze you in," she smiled and motioned for her former potions master to follow her.

"I appreciate it," Snape said as he followed his junior open a door to an office and chant a silencing spell - blocking anyone eavesdropping to listen into their conversation.

"So how can I help you?"

"I was wondering what the Dark Lord is up too. He seems restless."

"Yes, ever since his little ambush on Harry failed he's been frantically searching for a wand strong enough to defeat Harry's."

"How is that working out?"

"Not good, we already have Olivander, a goblin and a couple of other weird people sitting in our dungeons. If he doesn't find some clue soon he'll flip," Ash told.

"Good."

"Good? I don't see how this can be Voldi flips, more then just a few Death Eaters have to suffer the consequences!"

"Yes, but at least he won't have a wand that could allow him to defeat Potter."

Ash sighed heavily. "Yeah, you're right. It's probably for the best. Anyway, how's things going in Hogwarts? Are you enjoying yourself?"

Snape snorted, "Enjoying is an overstatement. Your little cousin has the same annoying traits as her oh-so-wonderful siblings," he answered sarcastically.

Ash grinned, "Just as I expected of her."

Snape rolled his eyes at her. "Well, if she goes on behaving like this I don't know how long I can continue to keep my back turned."

"Just try your best to not let her get hurt, alright?"

"You know I will."

Ash smiled and nodded. Suddenly she remembered one of her other family members. "Severus..."

"Yes?"

"Yesterday... Yesterday Ron and the others showed up."

"Potter?"

"Yes. They came to rescue me from the clutches of the Death Eaters," Ash snickered sadly.

Snape didn't say anything for a few moments, just stared at the young girl that suddenly looked so fragile. "What...What did you tell them?"

Ash snorted, "Lets say, I'm pretty sure that I am not welcome at home any more."

Another moment of silence filled the room.

"I'm sorry, Ash."

Ash smiled a sad smile, "No need to be. I knew this would happen at one point in time."

"Still, you shouldn't have to go through this," Snape said and balled his hand into a fist.

Ash looked up at the new headmaster of Hogwarts and smiled, "Oh look at you! You're starting to blossom in your role as Headmaster! You're starting to like youths!" she giggled playfully.

Snape looked at Ash aghast, which made her laugh all the more. "I'm joking professor!"

Bearing a minimalistic smile, Snape shook his head at the girl.

Suddenly they heard a knock on the door and froze in place. Swiftly Ash motioned for Snape to take a seat on one of the chairs and got rid of the silencing spell around them while taking her own seat across the desk.

"Yes?" she called out when the knock came again.

"You asked for me?" a man of about 30 asked, sticking his head through the door.

"Sullivan?"

"Yes."

"Ah, alright, please come in. Severus thank you for letting me know about the situation. I believe that is all?"

"Yes. That was all I had to report. Thank you for seeing me."

"I wish you a good and swift trip back to the school," Ash said with a fake and distant smile as she shook her fellow conspirators hand and watched him walk through the door, while a fear-filled Sullivan sat down in the chair that Snape had occupied just a second ago.

Again, Ash cast a silencing spell around the room as the door fell shut and she started her "investigation" on the case of the "escaped" prisoner...


	13. Chapter 13 - Obliviate

Since humans started to think, we wondered _What are we doing here?_

Ash Weasley was asking herself the exact same question, only to a different extent. Her question was more focused on the gorgeous boy on her left and one reason of her misery in front of her.

It had been a week since Halloween and everything was going smoothly. Too smoothly for Ash's liking if she were honest.

Draco had been nice and thoughtful. He had allowed her to manage the pace and didn't do anything that would make her feel uncomfortable or mad.

Ever since that night, nothing of interest had happened between them. Ash was still unsure what she wanted to happen any ways. She didn't forget the time they had been together, happy, secure... perfect. Nor did she forget the reason of why they broke up. It was sitting right across from her, babbling on and on and on.

Could she really forgive him for this? Just move on? Take him back?

"...Blaise," Ash suddenly heard Pansy say and started listening to her again. "Saw him in Diagon Alley yesterday. He looked absolutely terrible!"

"What do you mean?" Ash questioned.

Pansy looked at Ash in surprise, she hadn't talked to Pansy directly in quite a while. "Well... he looks as if his life had been sucked out of him. Sickly pale and not at all like he used to look. I wonder what happened to him..."

Ash's eyes strayed on the table surface as she let this information sink in. Blaise. What about Blaise?

Didn't she love _him_?

Ash suddenly felt sick with confusion. Swiftly she stood up - making the chair she had been sitting on fall backwards and thunder with noise as it hit the floor. In one fluent movement, she turned around and walked quickly out of the dining hall and down the corridor, heading towards the gardens.

"Ash!" she heard someone yell after her.

"Ash! Wait up!" the voice came again, nearer this time. The person was running to catch up with her.

Ash needed to stop for a short minute as she tried to pry open the door. In that time the voice caught up with her, tugged her arm and pressed her back against the door she had tried to open just a minute ago. "Ash! What's up?"

Ash looked at Draco with defying eyes. "The ceiling," she answered short and tried to wiggle out of his grasp.

"No Ash, really. What is up with you? You just suddenly storm out of the dining hall as if a snake bit you!"

Ash sagged a bit, as she let her guard down and sighed. "I'm alright. Just a lot of things on my mind. I need to get some fresh air."

Draco looked at her concerned, "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No," she said a tad to quick, but quickly caught herself again, "no. I'm going on a small run. Don't worry about it, I'll be back in a few."

Draco gave her one last concerned look, stroking back a strand of her hair and letting his thumb rub over her cheek, before nodding and letting go of her again. "Don't be too long," he said softly and pulled away.

Staying where she was for a short while longer, Ash watched as Draco walked down the corridor.

"What the hell am I doing?" Ash asked herself as Draco vanished from sight and she threw her head back in frustration. Quickly, she pulled away from the door and opened it, slipping outside and changing into her animal form.

Swiftly she raced through the gardens and into the labyrinth, heading towards her favourite spot at the centre. When she got there, she turned herself back and lay in the cold wet grass, staring up at the cloudy sky.

"What to do?" she asked herself after a period of silence, wishing she had someone who could help her sort out her thoughts.

"What would you do if you were in my place, Trace?" she asked the sky, wishing it would answer her like her friend always did. Ash could just imagine her standing above her and looking down while ranting about Ash being an idiot and a fool and wanting to beat some sense into her.

Slowly tears started to form in her eyes.

Why does she even need to think this through?

Yes, Draco cheated on her. Yes, its a crime she normally wouldn't have forgiven anyone. But yes, she still loved him.

Yes, she loved Blaise. But yes, she was realistic. She betrayed him. He will never take her back.

...The same goes for Tracy.  
The same goes for Harry.  
The same goes for Hermione.  
The same goes for Ron.  
The same goes for Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Percy.  
The same goes for Molly and Arthur.  
The same goes for everyone that she had once loved and left behind...

In the mean time in a dark room in the top floor of the mansion, a dark cloaked figure looked down at the gardens. A grey wolf with red strands of hair, raced through the gardens and vanished into the nearby labyrinth under his watchful eyes of self-proclaimed royalty.

"I wonder were she's heading..." he hissed softly, while stroking his snake-pets head. He had noticed a small change in her, ever since the Halloween party last week.

Her mind drifted off at meetings, she seemed a bit confused and scared. She often forgot to eat her meals and always had a far away look in her eyes.

"What do you think, Nagini?"

_"I think sssshe's going to the ccccentre again,"_ she hissed. She had been ordered to follow Ash several times already. Sneak after her when she was heading out into one of her runs. Listen in on conversations in her office. Watch her as she interrogated prisoners and Death Eaters.

"And why would she be heading there?"

_"To think... the girl issss confussssed right now..."_

"About what?"

_"Matessss,"_

Voldemort laughed. "This girl really fascinates me. How can you be so gifted and intelligent in the ways of magic, but so stupid in the concept of life as my protégée?... She should have already figured that its not her decision to make. Go and get her back here."

_"Yesssss, masssssster..."_

Ash was still lying in the soft wet grass when she suddenly felt the atmosphere change. The birds stopped singing and wind seemed to have vanished and all that she could hear was the slow and menacing noise of grass being pushed aside.

Swiftly she pushed off the ground and looked around her, but she saw nothing.

Suddenly she yelped aloud and rushed away from the spot she had been sitting in a second ago.

"Nagini!" Ash yelled in surprise and held her chest, trying to calm down again. "You scared me to death! The next time let me know when you're near!" she screamed at the snake, still in shock. "What are you doing here any ways?" she asked when her heart had calmed down again.

Nagini hissed.

Ash looked at the snake in annoyance, "You know I don't understand you."

Nagini hissed again, this time moving forward and slithering between Ash's legs and towards the exit of the labyrinth.

"I'm supposed to follow you?"

Nagini looked back at the girl and Ash could swear she saw the snake roll her eyes at her.

"I guess master wants to see me?" Ash asked quietly, already knowing and fearing the answer.

Nagini just looked at Ash and then began moving along the path once again, knowing the girl would follow.

"You wanted to see me, master?" Ash asked softly after knocking at the a big oak door that lead into the study.

"Ah, yes. Come in," a voice hissed out of the darkness. Ash held open the door for the gigantic snake to slither into the room first and then followed slowly.

Normally she wouldn't have thought twice about this invitation. Voldemort always invited her over to discuss a couple of affairs, but today was different. She had noticed him watching her more intently recently, she had felt his gaze on her during the last meetings, even during dinner. Swallowing softly she took one last glance behind her at the brightly lit corridor, before slipping into the in darkness covered room.

Still facing the door, she softly closed it. Her heart started to pump faster and faster as she turned around and looked at the grim looking creature in front of her.

There was something in his eyes, in the way he sat there in the big chair across from her, in the way the the light of the fire reflected in his eyes, that made her break into cold sweat.

"Sit down," the voice hissed again and a long, sickly white and thin looking arm came into sight and pointed at a empty chair across of him. Still a bit paranoid Ash cautiously moved towards the chair and sat down. All the while, the man on the dark cloak watched her. "You seem to be a bit on edge today, may I ask why?"

Ash tried to hide her fear behind a short laugh, but it sounded forced even to her. "I-I'm sorry your Lordship. I'm not feeling so well today," she tried to excused herself, "I think I should probably get to bed again soon," she added with a slight cough.

"Soon..." Voldemort repeated after her and Ash knew she'd be sitting here a while.

"How can I help you, my Lord?" she said softly.

Voldemort smiled a bit, "You seem distracted lately."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You didn't say one word at last nights meeting. Just stared at the wall."

"I didn't have anything to add."

"You would have if you had been listening. We decided on killing all the order brats in at Hogwarts."

Ash's head snapped up and her eyes got wide as she tried to digest the news. There was no way that she could agree to this. Ash racked her mind to try to convince him of not doing this fatal thing.

Suddenly hoarse laughter filled the air. "There we've got the evidence. We didn't decide anything about the Hogwarts students yesterday. But you would have known that if you had been listening," Voldemort said fiercely. "However, it does sound like a good plan, doesn't it my love?" he continued and continued studying Ash's reactions while stroking Nagini's head.

Ash didn't say a thing. Voldemort was testing her and she didn't know how she could pass this test.

"I asked you something!" he said, this voice starting to get a threatening tone.

"I-I-I am unsure if that would be wise, my Lord. There are too many of the Order still out there," she said, not looking at the man in front of her, but at the ground.

"We're stronger then all of them together! Their kids are their weakest front. If we attack them, they will be forced to come out and we will be able to kill them all at once!"

"No!" Ash screamed out loud and held her head tightly as Voldemort projected the images of screaming teenagers in Hogwarts. Running away from the dangerous spells of the Death Eaters, hiding from the kiss of the Dementors. "You screw-up! Harry will kill you're sorry wrinkly ass!" she screamed.

Time stood still for her as she realised what she had just said. Still sitting in the chair, arms clamping at her hair and staring down at her lap, Ash froze in place. Swallowing hard, she slowly let her eyes wander up and looked at the pale face of the monster she had to call master.

"You disappoint me Ash. You truly disappoint me."

Ash didn't say anything. Concentrating all her power in blocking her mind to his brain attacks. She had let her guards down in fear a bit too much and now she had been exposed. She could not let Voldemort reach further into her mind and discover that she wasn't alone.

"Who's in it with you?"

"No one. I'm alone."

"No. You would have died rather then accepting to become an Death Eater. Who are you working with? Who made you change your mind?"

"No one! You used Draco on me. I couldn't watch him suffer like that!"

"You didn't care about Malfoy! You had Zabini by then."

"I did care about Malfoy! We may have broken up, but that doesn't mean my feelings for him vanished!"

"I wonder if Malfoy actually knew about you and Zabini..."

Ash froze again. Did Draco know? Ash wasn't sure. They never mentioned it. He could have seen her kissing him at the party or Chase or Pansy could have told him, but who knows?

"I'm guessing that is a no..."

"No, Draco knows, I'm sure of it. But what's that got to do with this anyhow?"

"Nothing really, just making conversation," Voldemort chortled quietly.

Ash instantly focused on her mind barriers again. She nearly forgot to keep her guard up with all the talk about Draco and Blaise.

Voldemort said something in Parseltounge. Suddenly she saw Nagini emerge from the shadows once again. The snake slithered in her direction, her small deadly eyes fixated on her face, then just before reaching her, the snake changed directions and slithered out of the heavy oak doors.

Tears were starting to form in her eyes as she watched Nagini disappear. "Where is she going?" Ash asked quietly.

"She's getting a good friend of yours, but its nothing you have to concern yourself with right now," the darkness told her once again.

Without a warning, tremendous pain erupted through her body and soul. Every cell in her body wanted to tare away from her, every muscle was ripping, every nerve was on fire and every vain broke apart. Screaming her lungs out she willed herself to stay awake, willed herself to not give into the pain and loose her concentration on her mental barrier. Like the first time he had her under his curse, Voldemort's will to destroy her, to make her suffer for defying him was making her toenails curl up and make every bone be ripped out of her open and bleeding flesh. Had she thought that the spell during her first encounter with Voldemort was painful, the spell she was under now managed to top it by lengths.

Suddenly she knew that Voldemort, the cold-hearted evil being that she tried her best to defeat, felt betrayed by her.

Torment.

Terror.

Turmoil.

Tears.

Torture.

Darkness surrounded the girl. She was still sitting in her comfortable leather chair, bound there by fear and pain. A cough escaped her dry throat. Her eyes about to fall shut.

How long had she been here? No idea. Not very long she presumed, but it still felt like days and days to her.

"Why am I still alive?" she asked in a coughing spree.

"Why should I kill you?" came the answer out of the darkness. The girl shivered in fear.

"I betrayed you," she wheezed.

"You want to die?"

The girl didn't say anything in return.

"I thought so," the voice chortled evilly. "Then tell me, who's in it with you?"

"No one, I'm alone," she said for the umpteenth time.

"Then you don't have anything to hide, let me into your head!"

"Forget it," she said quietly, her voice wouldn't raise any more.

"I will make you talk, you know that!"

"Try."

Pain. Unbearable pain surged through her body once again. A scream penetrated her lips.

"You dare to challenge me?"

Coughing once again. Eyes open once again, hate brimming.

A knock on the door.

The eyes of the dark creature looking at the door. Its voice calling out for the new arrival to come in.

"Ah, Severus," the voice said, a smile clearly present in the tone.

"My Lord, you sent for me," the person said.

The girl froze in her chair, forced herself not to look or beg mercy of her friend.

"Yes, I've encountered a slight problem," the darkness cloaked voice said again.

"How can I help you with that sir?"

"I need you to make Veritaserum. My little doll wont talk."

The girl didn't see anything, it was all happening behind her back.

"Who are you interrogating, my Lord?"

"A traitor," the voice said with anger.

The girl heard footsteps coming nearer. Movement in her peripheral vision.

"Ash?" Snape asked, shock in his voice.

"Yes, who would have thought? She managed to make me believe that I had her under control. Now I fear that my plan of using her to lure in Potter and use her against him was a failure. Who knows, maybe he was already here to claim her and she hid it."

"We'll just have to find out my lord. I'll make the Veritaserum right away," Snape said. Just before leaving the room, Snape locked eyes with his former student. He looked pale, even for his standards. He was unsure of what to do.

Suddenly they heard the door open once again. "Master, I brought you lu-" Wormtail's words were cut off by the scene in front of him.

"Wormtail! what about do not disturb me, do you not understand you thick-headed rat?"

"I'm sorry Master. But you know how you get when you don't eat anything..."

Voldemort sighed, "put it on my desk."

Ash heard the shuffle of feet over the wooden floor boards. Slowly she let herself look up and watched as Wormtail walked past her, tray in hands... wand sticking out of his trousers... In the background she heard Voldemort and Snape talking.

"Wormtail..." she said softly, trying to ignore the need to cough once again. Wormtail froze, the others continued speaking...

She could see Wormtail's head wander towards the Dark Lord, quietly asking what he should do now. She was still hearing Voldemort talk, so she was unsure if he saw, but Wormtail swallowed and started making his way over to her.

"Yes?" he asked consciously, very quietly... maybe Voldemort hadn't noticed?

"Come... here..."

Again a glance towards the dark hooded creature and a couple more steps to wards her.

"Nearer..."

Another glance, another few steps.

Finally he was standing near enough. Swiftly she pushed herself off the chair and jumped the cowering fellow. Before he had time to change into his rat form, Ash had pulled the wand out of his pants and pointed it at herself. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, her eyes looking at Voldemort, but her words directed at someone else in the room.

"Obliviate" she screamed and watched as a silver rod came flying out of the wand and flew towards her.

In the background she saw Severus staring at her in shock. Voldemort stayed hidden in the shadows but she heard a distinct but distant "nooooo" follow her memories into oblivion.


	14. Chapter 14 - Why?

Rays of light slowly crept up to her, centimetre by centimetre... finally they softly stroked her eyes.

The first signs of movement. The first sign of her finally waking up again.

"I think she's coming to, my Lord" she heard a voice state in the distance.

"What will she remember?"

"I don't know, my lord. One seldom has the power to choose which memories are forgotten if you erase them."

"You want to tell me, that she maybe still remembers everything?"

"No, it is more likely that she has forgotten everything."

"Stupid child. But I guess we don't have to wor-" the voice cut itself off as the girl opened her eyes. "Good morning," it said instead.

The girl looked at the man in front of her in confusion. His form was of a tall, skeletally thin and frail looking snake-like man with nearly translucent skin. His dark scarlet eyes were set in slits like a cat's; his nose was flat as a snake's and his fingers - with which we had taken a hold of her hand - were unnaturally long and thin, like a spider's legs with long, sharp, pale blue fingernails. And the slit he was talking out of seemed to be missing lips. She felt an initial, but not logically explainable fear when looking at him.

Carefully she eyed him up and down, taking in the fine black clothes he was wearing and trying to make sense of his existence. Then her eyes wandered over to another figure that was standing a few metres back. He was a thin man with sallow skin and a large, hooked nose. He had shoulder-length, greasy black hair which framed his face in curtains. With him came a feeling of warmth that she couldn't place either, but it all confused her to no ends.

"Ash," the snake-like man said forcefully, making her attention snap back to him but she still stared confused.

"Who are you?" it were the first words she spoke.

"What do you remember?"

The girl looked at past the snake man and tried to remember... everything... anything?

"I... I don't remember..." she said quietly, whispering to herself. "I..." she said again, her head starting to throb and hurt. "Why can't I remember?" she asked, tears starting to form in her eyes.


	15. Chapter 15 - Strength and Cleverness

She eyed her body up and down in the mirror. She was a decent looking girl. Curvy figure that had just as much fat as needed to not look sick. Long reddish-blond hair that framed the delicate features of her face. Her eyes absolutely astonished her. A mix of blue and green with a sun forming around the iris.

She was wearing a short lacy dress that had been laid out for her and highlighted her perfect upper-body and got puffy around the waist.

When she deemed herself presentable, she nodded to herself in the mirror and turned to look at the watch on her cupboard and then too the door once again.

Slowly she counted too three.

One...

Two...

Three...

There it was the knock on her door that she had been expecting. As always he came on the dot.

She turned back to the mirror, she could see the door in its reflection. "Come in," she said softly and watched a smile form on her face as the door opened and revealed a beautiful young boy. His tall and slender body slowly walked up behind her, fully aware that she was watching his every move. As always his silver-blond hair was combed into a sleek looking hairstyle, that suited him perfectly. His grey-eyes were set on her face in the reflection and a small smirk played across his features.

"Hey beautiful, can't get enough of your reflection once again?" he whispered quietly into her right ear as he slung his arms around her waist and pulled her into him.

Closing her eyes for a second, the girl turned around and smiled up at the handsome face of the boy. She still couldn't really believe it all.

A week ago she had awoken in the bed across the room from her and hadn't remembered anything. Hadn't even known who she was. Now? Now she had this gorgeous boy, a father that loved her and a whole flock of people that just waited to a bid to her every wish.

"You know it. I'm surprised that you can keep your eyes away from me for more then a second," she answered with a small laugh.

"And you know that I can't," he chuckled as an answer. "So, are you ready to go to dinner?" he asked stroking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She nodded.

Smirking - a facial expression she had gotten to know as his trademark - he took a hold of her hand and lead her towards the door. With every step she watched his graceful walk, studied his strong shoulders and slender waste. "I still can't believe all this..." she muttered softly.

The boy stopped. "What do you mean?" he said looking at her with confused eyes - and she swore she could see a sign of fear in them.

She smiled up at him. "I don't know. Is this really my life? It just seems to perfect to be true," she said, a smile gracing her face. "You? This perfect boy at my side? Reading my every wish from my eyes? Can this really be my life?"

The boy looked at her, a kind off sadness spreading in his eyes. "Ash... I'm not as perfect as you think I am."

Ash laughed. "Not perfect? In what way?" she shook her head showing that she didn't believe him. He knew she didn't want an answer from him. Her eyes showed the frustration as she tried to remember her life before. "Why can't I remember, Draco? Why?"

"Ash, I already told you. You were taken away from us. They must have tempered with your brain when you didn't give them the answers they wanted."

"But who are _they_ and what answers could they have wanted from me?" she said, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"All we know is that it were those Order-freaks. Potter's little minion. They are trying to get you to turn against us..." he said softly, taking her face into his hands and rubbing his thumb against her cheeks, wiping away the small water droplets that spilled out of her eyes.

Her eyes went cold as he mentioned Potter and she stared past him into the distance. "I won't forgive him for taking away my past," she said, her voice as cold as her eyes.

"Neither will your father," he said softly a smile spreading along his face again. "Now we need to get going before we anger him! Brighten up again, my love!"

The girl smiled and wiped away the last tears as they started walking again, faster then before.

A few minutes later they reached the doors of the dining hall, but Ash stopped short a few meters before the door and pulled Draco into a stop with her.

"What?" he said, confused.

Ash didn't say anything, simply tapped her lips with her index finger. Rolling his eyes, smiling, Draco walked up close to the girl and leaned down while she went onto her tip-toes. They shared a small but sweet kiss just before the doors opened up and revealed them to a big hall, where a lot of people stood and waited for them.

The doors opened to reveal the whole follow ship standing there, glasses of champagne in their hands and a forced smile on their face and silent. There in front of them stood Draco Malfoy and the girl that they formally knew as Ash Weasley. But a lot had happened in this one week.

Most Death Eaters didn't know the story behind the girls memory loss, but they tried not to dwell on it either. She was now who she was and anything that they revealed that could harm or let the girl remember her former life, would be their death sentence.

"Ah, there you are Ash!" a dark cloaked figure said from a seat overlooking everything in the room. It was the first time she had been allowed to join the crowd ever since she woke up.

"Father," she said with a smile and walked up to him - Draco's hand still in hers. When she reached the man, she gave him a small peck on the cheeks and smiled. They slowly started to talk to each other again in hushed voices.

"I believe you had a nice day?"

"Yes, Draco once again bent over backwards to keep me entertained," Ash giggled and looked at the boy standing behind her. As always, her heart skipped a beat when she looked into his eyes. It was a weird sensation. She had only met this boy a week ago - she decided to not count the part of her life that she didn't remember - yet she felt strongly for him.

The first time they had met, she could see the real concern in his eyes. The confusion as she looked at him with a blank face. But ever since that time, her heart always started beating a bit stronger then usual. Pumping more and more blood, faster and faster through her veins. Ash wasn't sure, but she guessed that she was infatuated with him. And because of the fast pace it happened in, she guessed her former self had developed feeling for him as well. Hopefully feelings she could trust...

"Draco, I think your father wanted to speak to you. Go now," her father said quietly and Draco nodded.

Just before he left, he gave Ash a peck on her temple. "I'll be right back," he told her with a smile and a quick, cold glance at the man in front of them.

Her father watched it all with slight amusement and while Draco slipped away, he told her "Sit down with me, my love."

Ash complied without a second thought, sitting down on the arms of the chairs and looking at the crowed with a calculating glance.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"Why do they follow you?" Ash asked curiously.

Voldemort looked at her in wondering and then smiled a small, nearly invisible smile. "Why do you think?"

"Your strength," she said short.

"Explain."

"They fear your strength and power. They would not stand a chance against you and they know it."

Voldemort's smile broadened, "Yes, they fear me and that is the best way to keep order in the chaos. But that is not all. They believe in our cause."

Ash frowned for a second. "Our cause?"

"Yes. We want to take back our world."

"You mean take control back from those muggles?"

"Exactly. We are the true rulers of this world. Why should we hide ourself form those powerless creatures?" Voldemort started to explain to her, while Ash listened intently, nodding every now and again.

It made sense. Why should the ones with power not take control over the world? Witches and Wizards are way to strong to hide and fear getting exposed to muggles. It would be like humans letting animals run the earth. They don't know all the potential that the world of magic holds, just as animals don't know the potential of the worlds resources and technology.

Muggles had seized the world from the animals. Now it was time for the magical world to seize the world themselves. It was their right, their prerogative.

"The former Ministry was to soft. They didn't have the guts that are needed to succeed in running the show."

Ash smiled, "But you do."

"And so will you," he said with a slight smirk on his face, seeing Draco come walking back to them, "and Draco," Voldemort nodded.

Seeing her father look up, Ash looked up as well and smiled seeing Draco. He quickly joined the two of them and snaked his arms around Ash's waist. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Ash smiled and turned her face back to look over the crowd. Suddenly she felt a shift next to her and saw her father standing up. Swiftly she followed his example together with Draco who straightened up next to her. The room went quiet in an instant.

Voldemort slowly took a hold of their hands and held them together.

"Death Eaters! Raise your glasses for my daughter and her fiancée - strength and cleverness that will help us achieve our goals, Ashra Gaunt and Draco Malfoy."

The room erupted in cheers and the two teenagers watched as the crowed raised they glasses to them and drank.


	16. Chapter 16 - Mission

"Ash," she heard the distinct voice of her father as he called for her to join him in his study. How did he know she was right in front of the door? She was sure she didn't make a sound. But that didn't matter now. Immediately she turned the door handle and walked into the barely lit room.

"Father," she said clearly, inclining her head a bit.

"You know it is rude to eavesdrop," he hissed, but she could hear humour in his voice. Had he really found it rude, he wouldn't have just let her walk into the room without harm.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't planning on listening in..."

"But?"

"No buts."

"There's always a but. Speak."

"Well, I just happened to hear about your plans and wanted to ask... could I please join? I've had enough of being cooped in this mansion!" Voldemort stared at her, not betraying any emotion. This made Ash a bit desperate. "I mean, I understand that you want to protect me and that I may not be as fit and fast as I was before my...before it all happened, but I can't stand staying here and doing nothing. Father I am your daughter! I am the strength that is supposed to help our cause! Please let me strengthen our cause! Send me out with the others! I will not disappoint you," she said, leaning on the dark wooden desk and staring at the men opposite her intently.

Her fathers nearly invisible lips twitched a tiny bit and reminded her of a smile. "Alright. You will join Bellatrix and McCain tomorrow," then as if on second thought, he turned to look at the arm chair in front of the fire to his left, "That is alright with you, right Bella?"

The women in the chair turned to look at her master and nodded. "Of course, I can't wait to see little Ashra in action. And I'm sure Patrick will be pleased as well."

Ash stared at the women with cold eyes then turned back to her father. "What is the mission?"

"Oh, not much. A small trip to Germany. We're searching for the wand maker Gregorovitch, heard of him?" Ash shook her head no. "He was the one that made your wand. We gained information that a couple families know where he is and are refusing to tell." Ash heard something in his voice, it sounded as if he were daring or tempting her to some reaction, but she didn't understand what. "Get them to tell you were Gregorovitch is and then I want the problem eliminated," he added and Ash nodded.

"When are we leaving?" she asked looking at Bellatrix.

"Nine tomorrow morning."

Ash nodded, more to herself then anything else and smiled at Voldemort. "Thank you," she said just before turning around and exiting the study once again.

"I want you to find those two German friends of Ashlin's that Parkinson told us about. Watch her carefully. I there is any sign of her remembering - eliminate her as well."

"Yes, my lord" Bellatrix and a voice in the shadow said in unison, Bellatrix harbouring a sly smile.

Before they left however, Voldemort added, "And don't forget to give her an chance of proving herself."

Ash's eyes flew open as soon as she woke up to the alarm in her wand. Next to her she could hear a soft groan from a still sleeping Draco. Swiftly she turned the alarm off.

"Sorry," she whispered softly into the ear of the boy lying next to her and gave him a small peck on the cheek as she tried to get out off bed. However before she could even throw the blanket off her body, two strong arms snaked around her waist and pulled her back into the warmth of the covers. "Draco!" she giggled. "I need to get ready!"

"Not yet," he breathed into her ear and forced her body against the mattress and positioning himself over her. Without much a due he started attacking her neck hungrily.

"Draco," she repeated sternly - but her hand's went against her words and grabbed the boys platinum hair pulling him nearer to herself. She felt his hand slowly travel down her body and find its way between her thighs.

Inhaling deeply, Ash turned the two of them over and - unwillingly - took a hold of Draco's stray hand. "I really don't have time for this," she gasped and looked intently into the grey eyes staring up at her.

"Yes you do. You always set the alarm way to early!" Draco said, fighting back the dominance of the situation.

"I said no," she said sternly before leaning in and whispering suggestively, "But I'm free when I'm back."

Draco smirked, "Alright, alright. But I'll keep you to your word!"

Ash nodded and resentfully climbed out of the warm and comfortable bed and got ready.

"Ah, I see the princess has finally made it," a sneering voice said from the shadows next to the windows.

Ash had just entered the dining room and spotted Bellatrix sitting at a table eating her breakfast. Next to the women sat another figure, she couldn't quite make out. As she neared, the voice of the other one had called out to her and finally she could see who was talking with her. She had seen him a couple times before, always cloaked in a heavy dark robe, his face hidden in the shadow of the hoods. But now, with nearly no one around, he had taken the hood off and revealed to her his true face. What she made her breath hitch a second, it was a gruesome sight. His face was twisted into an everlasting mask of pain and horror, his body was disproportional and he seemed to be missing several fingers and an ear.

"Wow... seems like we're taking the beauty queen with us," she said not feeling sorry for this poor disfigured person in front of her, something told her he deserved every bit of ugliness he got.

Bellatrix giggled softly. "May I introduce you two? Ash this is Patrick McCain and Patrick this is Ash_ra_."

Patrick didn't flex a facial muscle as he looked at Bellatrix and then turned back to look at Ash. "I'll just keep calling you princess, if that's alright with you."

Ash stared at him emotionlessly, not liking his face, and shrugged.

When silence started to spread around them, Bellatrix simply stood up, throwing a bun at Ash before walking up to the fireplace. "Lets go," she said and took a handful of floo powder.

One by one they disappeared into a flash of green fire.

Loud sounds rushed over her head as Ash stepped out of the flames that still licked around her feet. They were standing in what seemed to be a very lively tavern. Most people didn't even notice them arrive through the fire, they were having intense conversations and were laughing loudly while drinking their beer. Only one person really looked over at the new arrivals.

The bartender had noticed the green flames and had prepared to send them off again because the bar was full already. But when the blond girl exited the flames, he stopped breathing for a second. Standing in-between the other two - a very ugly and disfigured boy and an old and formerly good looking lady - was Ash, a girl he had known for a very long time and had always adored.

"Ash! Lange nicht mehr gesehen! Wie geht es dir?" he asked her in German and walked up to her. - **"Ash! Long time no see! How are you?"  
**

Ash stared at the large bearded men in confusion, who was he? She hadn't even noticed that he was speaking a different language then she was used to nowadays. "Wer sind Sie?" - **"Who are you?"** she asked in the same language, moving away from the man who was about to hug her.

"Ash, who is that? What does he want from you?" Bellatrix said from behind, fumbling with her wand.

Ash turned to look at her companions, "No idea. I don't remember ever seeing this person before."

Bella looked over at Patrick who smirked at the confused look of the bartender. "Gehen sie uns aus dem Weg, wir wissen nicht wer Sie sind und wollen auch nicht in diesem stinkenden Loch bleiben," - **"Get out of our way, we don't know who you are and don't want to stay in this stinking hole,"** he told the men and grabbed Ash's arm tightly, trying to pull her out of the tavern. But the bartender saw red and took hold of Ash's other arm.

"Ash, was ist los? Wer sind diese Menschen? Haben sie dir in irgend einer Weise weh getan?" - **"Ash, what happening? Who are these people? Did they hurt you in any way?"** he asked her concern flashing in his eyes.

But Ash didn't see this concern. Swiftly she pulled her arms out of the grips of the others and pulled out her wand, pointing it directly into the others face. "Ich weiß zwar nicht wer Sie sind, aber wenn Sie es wagen mich noch einmal anzufassen dann werden Sie nicht mit einer leichten Warnung davon kommen," - **"I may not know who you are, but if you touch me one more time, you will not get away with a slight warning."**she said cold eyes tainted on the tall man in front of her.

"Ash! Was ist mit dir passiert?" - **"Ash! What happened to you?"** he said confused.

"Woher kennen Sie meinen verdammten Namen?" - **"How do you know my god-damn name?"**

"Ich war ein Freund deiner Eltern!" - **"I was a friend of your parents!"**

Patricks eyes widened a bit as Ash looked at the men confused. "Der dunkle Lord wäre niemals mit einem Versager wie euch befreundet! Erzählen Sie keine Lügen!" - **"The dark Lord would never hand you with a loser like yourself! Don't tell lies!" **Patrick said loudly and was relieved when he saw her eyes grow cold once more and the grip on her wand tightened.

Griping the wand tightly, she closed the distance between herself and the bartender even more and held the tip of her wand right under his chin.

"Do it Ash, do it!" she heard Bella's voice echo behind her in a gleeful tone. The visitors of the tavern had finally noticed something amiss and were now focused on the bartender and the girl with the wand. The ones that came with her watched excited, but already had their wands pulled out to stop any of the customers to help the poor man.

"Deprimo," she whispered and the big man in front of her screamed his body was pushed down onto the floor as he couldn't hold himself up any longer and you heard his bones cracking one after the other. Just before the fracturing was about to kill him, the girl stopped the curse and leaned down towards the man. "Wer Lügt der lebt nicht lange," - **"Those who lie won't live very long"** she said in an icy voice and turned back to the others, "Lets go!"

Not saying a word the other two glanced at each other and the people around them and turned around following the youngest of their group. When they had left the tavern, the girl looked at Bellatrix and nodded. Second later the tavern was blazing brightly, fire licking the darkening wood and fleeing through the bursting windows. Screams followed them for another few minutes as Ash lead them away from the scene.

"Where to next?"

Three dark cloaked figures were slowly walking down a barely lit street in the middle of the night. A few hours earlier there had been a big party on the streets, where the whole village had come together and celebrated. The decorations were still hanging in the streets and the bright colours and happy motives looked out of place as the three dooming personas walked through the parade.

Suddenly they stopped as the shortest one of them raised her hand. "Its over there," a melodic voice said and nodded towards a house that was filled with darkness.

"How do you know?" a other, rougher voice asked.

"You gave me the house number, idiot," the melodic voice stated annoyed.

"Oh, yeah, right..."

The first voice rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe the Lord had me go with the children... Stop bickering kids, lets go and get this party started," the third person said in an annoyed voice.

The two others looked at the oldest of the group and sighed. Swiftly they went back to their silent and proud stance and the youngest walked up to the dark house - the other two flanking her. Just before she reached the door, the girl looked at the older women again, a slight confusion in her eyes, "Do we knock?"

The women stared at the girl in shocked silence. "You're joking, right?"

The girl took a deep breath, squinting her eyes a bit. "Yes?" she said unsure.

"Good. Now blast open the door," the older women said frustrated. How in the bloody name of Merlin could this girl ever be the 'strength' of the Death Eaters? How in Merlins bloody name had she ever managed to make herself so interesting for the Dark Lord? The women couldn't understand it at all... Although the little show with the bartender a few moments ago had been very entertaining, she had to admit.

Instantly she heard the wooden door in front of them shatter and disperse into the house. The house was quiet. Too quiet.

"They knew we were coming," the boy said. "Their long gone."

"No," the girl said. "They are here, I'm sure of it." Something about this house rang a bell in her thoughts. She was sure she had been here already. She took another couple of steps into the house and then swiftly turned to look into the living room.

Step...

Step Step...

Step...

The girl stopped short in front of a boring looking bookcase, while the others watched her intently. "What are you looking for?" the boy asked as he saw the women already getting out her wand.

The girl glanced over. "Nothing... I thought I heard something in here, but I guess I was wrong," the girl shrugged and was about to walk back to the group, when she heard something. A soft sigh, not very loud, but loud enough for her ears to hear. In one fluent movement she pulled out her wand and yelled, "Reducto," making the bookcase shatter into a thousand pieces. Behind it sat four crouching figures, shocked and with fear in their eyes.

Bella and Patrick smirked and walked up behind the third Death Eater. "Hello, who have we here?" the melodic voice of the girl floated through the air and the parents stared at her in shock and a spark of hope when they recognised the voice of their daughters former best friend. But the hope was soon shattered when they heard her familiar but suddenly cruel sounding laugh as she and the others neared their family.

"We have a couple of questions," the boy - also a familiar voice added. "I'm hoping you don't plan on giving me the correct answers anytime soon. That wouldn't be any fun."

"We need those answer quickly!" the women growled.

The boy and girl threw her an annoyed glance. "Alright, I'll use Legilimency then..." the girl said.

"No!" the boy shouted a bit fast. "Let me do it... You're still to weak for that kind of magic," he added and sent a meaningful glance at the women. She rolled her eyes in agreement.

Ash growled in annoyance, "Oh how I hate that fucking Potter and his little Weasley clan..." she swore and pulled back from the cowering family.

"Here play a bit with the children," Bella sneered and threw her a black haired girl around her age and a small boy of around 8. Both had big frightened eyes that stared at her.

Ash took a hold of the children's arms and pulled them towards the window. Letting them sit down. The girl looked at her in confusion and the boy in amazement. "Ich kenn dich," - **"I know you"** the boy said softly, so softly that nobody else but Ash heard him.

Ash looked at him with an raised eyebrow. "Kann nicht sein." - **"Can't be"**

"Doch, ich kenn dich! Du bist Ash!" - **"No really, I know you! You're Ash!"**

Ash looked over at the other two, they were occupied by the parents. "Woher kennst du meinen Namen?" - **"How do you know my name?"** she asked the boy softly - knowing that scaring the boy would only make him silent.

"Kat, dass ist Ash! Kannst du dich nicht errinnern?"- **"Kat, that's Ash! Can't you remember?"** the boy asked, turning to look at his older sister.

The sister looked at him scared and shook her head. "Seb, dass ist ein Death Eater! Wir sagen ihr gar nix!" - "**Seb, this is a Death Eater! We wont tell her anything!**"

"Aber Kat!" - **"But Kat"**

Kat was just about to say something again, when Ash interrupted. "Seb, dass ist kurz für Sebastian, nicht war?" **"Seb, thats short for Sebastian, right?"**

The boy turned his attention back to the girl and nodded.

"Das ist ein schöner Name," she said with a smile. "Nun, ich würde dir und deiner Familie gerne helfen. Aber ich muss jetzt wissen, woher glaubst du mich zu kennen?" - "**That is a beautiful Name"... "Well, I would like to help you and your family. But I have to know from where do you know me?"**

"Du warst die beste Freundin von Kat! Aber dann hat sie alles wieder vergessen, ich weiß nicht warum..." - **"You were the best friend of Kat! But then she forgot everything. I don't know why..."** Ash looked up at the girl. She was supposed to have been her best friend? That girl in front of her looked pathetic. "Und woher kannte ich deine Schwester?" - **"And how did I know your sister?"**

"Von der Schule." - **"From school"**

"Hogwarts?"

"Ne, Schwarzwälderkirsch"

Ash looked at the boy confused before looking back at the other two Death Eaters. They had summoned a sound-proof barrier around them, so that the neighbours wouldn't interrupt their interrogation.

"OK... Was wisst ihr über Gregorovitch?" - **"OK, what do you know about Gragorovitch?"**

The boy looked at her confused. This time she also looked at the girl. "Ich wieß ihr wollt mir nix sagen, aber meine beiden Freunde sind sehr brutal wenn sie nicht kriegen was sie wollen, nun, wenn ihr mir nicht bald sagt was wir wissen wollen, werden die beiden dennen bestimmt weh tun... Und das wollen wir ja nicht! Oder?" - **"I know you don't want to tell me, but my two friends over there can get really brutal if they dont get what they want. Now, if you don't tell me what we want to know, those to will hurt your parents. We don't want that, do we?"**

The little boy shock his head furiously. The girl just glared at her. Again Ash looked over her shoulder at the others. She had placed the kids so that they wouldn't see what was happening to their parents. She believed that was the most horrifying idea. Not knowing about what was happening, being helpless.

Ash leaned towards the girls ear. "Weißt du was sie gerade da hinten machen? Sie foltern deine Eltern, tun ihnen unsagbare Schmerzen zufügen und sie werden nicht aufhören bis sie kriegen was sie wollen. Und sie kriegen immer was sie wollen," she whipered. "Weißt du wie lange jemand solche schmmerzen aufhalten kann? Ohne permanent geschädigt zu werden? Nein? Ungefähr eine Stunde. Danach ist man nie mehr der Selbe. Die gedanken fliehen einen immer schneller, man findet sich oft auf dem boden liegened, weinend. Man kann sich kaum noch um sich selbst kümmern, ganzgeschweige sich um Schratzen wie euch zu kümmern. Dein Bruder wird ins Kinderheim kommen... Ich glaub nicht das er es dort lange aushält... Was meinst du?" Ash asked and moved the girls head so that she looked at her confused looking brother. - **You know what they are doing back there?They are torturing your parents! They are causing them unspeakable pain, and they wont stop until they get what they want. And they always get what they want. Do you know how long someone can bare such pain without permanent damage? No? About an hour. After that they are never the same cant keep a hold of your thoughts, you find yourself lying on the floor, crying. One can barely take care of oneself, no chance of taking care of Brats like 're brother will be send to an orphanage - I don't think he'll manage for very long... What do you think?"**

"Ich sag euch nichts!" - **"I won't tell you anything!"**she screamed and Ash slapped her with her back hand.

"Du musst nichts sagen!" - ** "You don't have to say anything!"** she yelled back and took a hold of the girls face, forcing her to look at Ash herself. Next Ash found herself inside the girls mind. Memories flashed past her as she tried to navigate through the unorganised and cursed mind of the girl. Ash had to admit this mind was very frustrating. She didn't suffer a memory loss like her, but it seemed that a big part of her life had been erased out of her memories, ruining most of her memories and thoughts. It seemed to even have effected her personality.

It definitely did not help that the girl tried to redirect her attention towards food and beverages throughout the whole time. But finally she managed to find fragments of what she was looking for.

_Gregorovitch._

Starnberg

Empty

As well as a small picture of a white house that stood on a hill. It was white with a black roof. In front of it was a large green carpet of grass and in background trees rounded of the scenery.

Ash pulled out of the girls mind again. Looking at her intently making sure she understood the situation, then she stood up leaving the girl to attend to the boy as she turned and walked back to the others. She only turned around one more time, as a green flash left her wand.

"I know where he is," she said walking into the soundproof area. "He's in a vacant house in Starnberg - not to far away from here."

The other two looked at her. "And how would you know?"

"The girl. You said I should play with her," Ash said with a shrug. "But we have to hurry. If we don't leave now, he could change locations once again!"

The others didn't move though. "And what should we do with these four?" they asked in a sly tone of voice - again testing her.

"We have no more use for them."

"I know. But what should we do now?"

"You should already know the answer. Father told it to you."

"I want to hear it out of your mouth, strength of our cause," Bellatrix said with sarcasm and critic in her voice.

"Kill them," Ash said emotionlessly and watched as the other two grinned and green light escaped their wands. A scream escaped their mouths.

"What about the kids?" the boy asked.

"They are already taken care off," Ash said emotionlessly once again and lead the others towards the door, were they passed the deathly silent bodies of the teenager and her little brother.

In the darkness they appeared like ghosts that wandered the earth. No one saw them coming. No one saw them walk up to the house near the Starnberg Lake.

The moon reflected of the pale white paint of the building and illuminated the dark clothed figures in an eerie light as they neared.

Only the sound of the breaking door and the loud foot steps that suddenly echoed through the house let the resident of the house awake from his troubled sleep. Swiftly he grabbed the wand that was lying net to him.

BOOM! Another door was broken down.

BOOM! This time it came nearer. He didn't have any time to hide.

BOOM! His door flew of its hinges and in stepped a petite looking girl with her blond hair covered by her ropes large hood.

"I fou-" she started but swiftly was sent flying backwards from the silent spell he had cast at her. Her back hit the desk at the end of the room painfully, making her breath escape her lungs. She looked around herself confused. Suddenly the table she was leaning against caught fire and made her leap up quickly - which only added to her confusion. Swaying sideways a bit, she fell into the next spell, which made deep gouges appear on her arm and legs and made her collapse in the ground.

Only second later she heard her target get off the bed he had been lying in and swiftly hissed, "Stupefy" with the wand pointing in the men's direction. Just before she had a coughing attack from the smoke that was swiftly filling the room, she heard a body fall onto the ground with a loud crash and two pair of feet arriving at the scene off action.

Swiftly she collected herself again and stood up from the ground, refusing to let her companions see that she was hurting. It was her first mission and she allowed herself to be hurt! She couldn't admit to this defeat! Swiftly she repaired her robes with a quick spell.

It was still dark when the three Death Eaters suddenly appeared in front of a big metal gate. In the iron grip of the disfigured body a struggling body of a men was trying to break free.

"Argh, I hate apparating!" the boy snapped at once when he felt solid ground at his feet and the feeling of being squished and twisted left him once again.

Ash laughed dryly, trying to conceal her pain. "Understandable. Being even more grotesque then you already are must be an ugly feeling."

The boy sneered at the girl and spat in front of her feet.

"Touchy," she said, with a glance at Bellatrix who ignored the little scene once again and walked straight through the gates as if they were made of air. Together the other two followed slowly after her with the struggling package still mulling around.

Without any a due they stalked straight towards the main study in the house, knocking only when they stood in front of the closed door that would reveal their leader.

"Come in!" his voice came and they saw his eyes grow into a smirk when they entered the study and threw the old men's body in front of their Lord. "Good job you three. Ash, Patrick you may leave now," he said and waved the teens out of his office.

"How did she do?" he asked the women, ignoring the desperate groans of the men on the floor.

"She did well. She didn't hesitate once to get the information she wanted. She has no idea who the people were we killed,"

"And did she also?"

"Yes, we left her the kids."

"Ah good, good..." the snake-like men said with a vicious smile, before turning to look at the cowering form on the floor. "Hello, Gregorovitch. How have you been?"

When they left the office, Ash instantly turned away and was about to leave for her room, maybe search for Draco so that he could help her treat her wounds. Also she hadn't been separated for him this long yet since she recovered from her ... her whatever it was, and she missed him.

"Ash!" the disfigured boy called out after her before she could get to far away.

Ash turned her head and raised her eyebrows in anticipation, waiting for him to continue.

"You really do not remember anything, do you?"

Ash frowned. What did he mean? "Yeah, I don't..."

"Aren't you confused as of why you were able to speak German? Or why everyone we encountered seemed to know your name?" he asked, testing her?

Ash looked at the boy and shook her head. "No, not really. I guess they knew me from the time I lived in Germany - Father told me, that I had been raised there while he was absent. It was a bit frustrating that everyone seemed to know me so badly though, as if I would hug some old, hairy, fat fart, ha!" Ash spat and started walking again.

"Did you really kill the kid?" the voice echoed through the hallway she just turned into. Patrick was right behind her. Ash stumbled a bit. Patricks eyes went wide. "You-" he started but she swiftly pushed him against the wall and held her hand over his mouth.

"Pssh!" she hissed looking around. "It was a eight year old kid, for Merlin's sake!"

Patrick removed her hand from his mouth forcefully. "You had orders!"

"So you want me to believe that you would have killed the boy?" Patrick didn't answer for a second, but that was answer enough for her. "I did the right thing, I know it was stupid, but... Oh I don't need to explain myself to you!"

She suddenly felt the back of his hand on her face followed by a loud smacking sound and her stumbling against the table that stood next to them before falling onto the ground in pain. Thankfully Patrick didn't notice. "You idiot! When _he_ finds out your dead meat!" he fumed quietly. He stayed quiet for a second, letting Ash glare at him to her hearts content. "What about the girl?"

Ash looked him in the eyes, "She's dead."

Patrick stared at her intently trying to see if he saw a glimmer of a lie in them. "How did you get him to look dead anyway?"

"I had a vessel of living death with me," she muttered, biting her lips.

"If he finds out about this!" he hissed.

"He won't if you wont tell him!" she hissed back.

"How do you know I wont?"

"Because you didn't do your job correctly either! Do you not think I noticed that he wanted you to babysit me? Make sure I did my job correctly? You weren't even supposed to let me alone with anyone! But what did you do? Shove the kids in my face and have fun with the parents!"

Patrick stayed quiet, glaring at the girl quietly. "Alright, we won't talk about this ever again!" he fumed and waited until Ash nodded in approval. Without further a due he turned around and stalked away from the girl on the ground.

In no time at all the hallways was once again deserted as Ash made her way to her bedroom, feeling the blood from the gouges slowly flowing down her hurting body.

When she entered the room, she didn't have to wait to long for her companion to join her. One walk to the bathroom, where she started filling up the tub and she felt him hovering behind her, letting his arms snake around her body.

She hissed in pain as he unknowingly brushed against one of her open wounds.

"What is it?" he asked in concern, pulling his hands back and her around. She didn't say anything just motioned him to help her undress.

Layer by layer they took off of her body and she cringed as she heard Draco inhale deeply when he saw the multiple cuts that covered her body.

Not saying anything for a second, he guessed, "Nobody knows?"

Ash shook her head furiously. How could she let her father know that she had been hurt on this mission? A mission she had begged to participate in? If he knew, he wouldn't let her out in a long time any more!

"I'm getting my mom," he stated, a tint of fear in his voice.

"No!" Ash yelped, trying to hold him back.

"Ash, I can't help you on my own!"

"Fina!" Ash called out, and instantly the house elf appeared before them. "Miss?" she said, but then she saw the bleeding girl and hurriedly magicked herself potions and salves which she applied to the poor girls body. "Silly Miss! Shouldn't let herself get hurt like this!" Fina scolded the witch, making the girl laugh softly while the platinum blond haired boy stared at her, memories of other times he saw her hurt rushing through his memory...


	17. Chapter 17 - The Ring

Without him noticing, she was watching his far away eyes intently. He was remembering something. She itched to know what he was thinking about, and it would be so easy to figure out. A small part of intend and a sparkle of magic and she would be in his mind, seeing what he was seeing.

"Penny for your thoughts," she said instead, not wanting to invade his privacy and steal his memories like a vulture.

Visibly snapping out of his memories, he looked at her wide eyed. "Nothing," he lied, shaking his head a bit, "I - I just remembered something."

"Tell me!" she said with a small giggle, as the pain from the now healing wounds lessened.

"No really, it's nothing you should concern yourself with," he said, a fake smile disgracing his features.

Ash frowned, as she pulled herself of the ground and sent the house elf away. "If you say so," she said biting her cheeks. To her further dismay, she figured that she wouldn't be able to get a wash today as she looked at the bandages that were covering her body. "You want to take the water? I don't think it would be wise to make the bandages wet," she said with a forced smile and watched him nod.

Nodding herself, she left the bathroom and closed the door behind herself, leaving Draco alone.

Once the door was closed, she leaned against its flat surface and closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing. Was it just her, or was Draco's behaviour just now a bit weird? she wondered softly as she pushed herself off the door and slowly walked up to the wardrobe.

As she put on her silken nightgown, she shook her head at her small paranoia, and decided to go to sleep before Draco came out of the bath.

Whatever test Voldemort had tested her with, it seemed that she had passed with ease. After that fateful night, Ash finally felt accepted as a Death Eater once more.

Time passed swiftly, as Ash was finally regaining control of her former jobs. Being put in charge of the teenage Death Eaters once again, regaining control of the "Internal Affairs" section of the Death Eaters and going on missions with her fellow Death Eaters around twice a week.

Ash was currently sitting in her office, enjoying a sandwich - chicken, with mayonnaise and sweetcorn - when screams echoing through the hallways disturbed her peace.

"Let go of me you son's of Crumple-Horned Snorkack's!" a girl screamed loudly.

"Crumple-Horned Snorkack's?" she asked Draco, who was sitting in front of her. She noticed confusion in his eyes, until a sudden realisation crossed his features.

"Don't ask me, never heard of those beasts," Draco said with a shrug.

Shrugging, Ash found herself curious about who was screaming names of imaginary creatures, but stayed put. She didn't have to go anywhere, because soon after her study door was flung open and Ash watched Goyle and Crabbe senior holding onto a petite girl with waist-length, dirty blond hair.

"What is the meaning of this?" she boomed at the two of them, not caring that they were her seniors. They had intruded her study, during her break! She made a mental note to punish them later.

The two of them swiftly stood still and stared at her in shock. "Miss. Grunt!" one of them gasped, "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to disturb you!" the other one said quickly, but Ash ignored them. Her attention was captured by the girl in their middle and her protuberant grey eyes that were staring at her with the same amount of curiosity.

"Who is she?" Ash asked with a swift glance at Crabbe - or was it Goyle?

"Luna Lovegood, ma'am."

"Ah, the girl from the Quibbler," she purred softly, remembering that she had told the two idiots to get the girl. "That's right," she smiled and motioned for the two of them to let go of her. "Welcome, please sit down."

While Luna looked at her in what seemed to be fascination, Ash noticed Draco's breathing increase and him pulling on his collar.

"Do you know why you are here?" Ash asked Luna, sitting back down on her comfortable leather chair, toying with the wand that was lying on the table.

"It really is you? Isn't it?"

Ash looked at her confused. "I'm the one asking the questions!"

"We thought you were dead, you know? Or in one of those stinking cells of these stinking Death Eaters! It doesn't stink here, so this isn't a cell. I don't like cells as you know. where am I here?" she began and didn't stop... "Ron and-" she continued but was forced to stop when Draco stupefied her, with a hasty flick of the wrist, making the girl go stiff.

"Sorry, I couldn't take it any more," he said, swallowing hard. Looking at her fiancée in confusion, Ash ignored the gut feeling that what she had been about to say would have been important to her, and flicked her own wand to open the door. In came Goyle and Crabbe.

"Throw the girl into the big cell," she ordered, still not looking away from Draco.

When they had left, Ash asked, "What was that about?"

"Sorry, the girl had been talking nonsense for nearly an hour, I couldn't listen any more!" he defended himself. "Also," he said getting off his chair and walking up to her, "We get to spend less and less time together, I wanted you all to myself right now." Extending his arm for her, he pulled her off the chair and into his arms, kissing her passionately and making her forget everything that just happened, if only for a couple of minutes.

"Show me!" she whined jokingly, holding onto Draco's waist while trying to peak over his shoulder to see what he was trying to hide from her.

"It's nothing!" he said, annoyance slowly creeping into his voice.

"Oh come on! If its nothing, you wouldn't be hiding it!" she sang, ignoring his tone of voice.

They had been sitting in the Dark Lord's office in silence, reading books and trying to learn a couple of new spells while he was gone, when Ash saw Draco's eyes going wide while looking at the floor. When she had curiously turned to look where he looked, he launched out of his seat and dropped on the floor, scrambling something off the ground and trying to hide it swiftly.

When he didn't show her after a few minutes of nagging, Ash became annoyed as well. "Draco Malfoy, show me what you've got there right away!" she said in her authority voice that made everyone around her cringe.

"I'd rather not," he said slowly, also slightly annoyed at her persistence.

Not used to hearing anyone - not even Draco - object her authority voice, Ash got out her wand and muttered "accio." Before Draco could even say "No!" the object was in her hand.

Curious, she looked at the object. It was a ring, a very simple ring, thin and with a Moonstone set in the middle of it. "Wow, it beautiful..." she said softly, turning to look at Draco.

His face was red in what seemed to be pain. "Why do you think it was lying on the floor?" she said, focussing fully on the ring. It felt so familiar, so reassuring in a way... as if it belonged to her.

Suddenly she heard Draco sigh, and when she looked up he gave her one of his famous smirks. "Merry Christmas Ash," he said and made her look up at him. "I had it in my pocket and it must have fallen out," he said with a small shrug.

"That... that is my Christmas present?" she asked, wide-eyed. Draco nodded and smiled at her as she flung her body in his direction.

"Thank you!" she whispered into his ear and hugged him tightly. But even in her happiness, she noticed that his returning hug was very weak and even felt and heard the panicked swallow that accompanied her embrace. However, when she pulled back his face was once again smiling down at her lovingly.

"I'm happy that you like it," he said softly and kissed her on the lips lovingly. "But now I have to find another Christmas present for you!" he seemed to scrawl at the idea of having to find something else in less then three days time...

Watching Draco disappear out of the study, Ash wondered if she had only imagined the panicked swallow. But while looking at the ring, she knew that she hadn't imagined anything.

A couple days later, Ash was sitting on her bed. It was late, Draco was already sleeping soundly next to her, but she couldn't. She was staring his peaceful sleeping face, before focusing on the ring that decorated her ring finger. Something was up with Draco. Ever since she came back from her first mission, he had been acting weird, as if he were scared of her finding out something. What could it be? she asked herself and turned the ring on her finger.

_"I love you" she called towards him, but Draco had already vanished back into the crowed... _

Ash looked around herself in confusion, before shaking her head furiously.

_There was Draco... in his bed... naked... under him lay Pansy Parkinson, also dressed in only her birthday suit._

Again Ash shook her head. What was happening? What where these pictures doing in her head?

_A face. High cheekbones, dark skin, and lips that yelled "Kiss me" stared up at her with sorrow in the long, chocolate coloured slanting eyes._

Ash closed her eyes tightly.

_"It has special powers," some ladies voice echoed through her head. "It'll show you all that's hidden and lead you through the hard times in life," the lady continued and softly giggled in her ears._

Ash pulled off the ring desperately and threw it across the room, panting.

"Honey, everything OK?" a sleepy velvet voice asked from next to her.

Quickly she looked at the boy lying there and nodded. "Yeah, everything is good. Just had a bad dream," she said and let her body fall back into the soft cushions. Turning to her side, she felt a warm arm drape around her waist and pull her close to the body behind her.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Draco said sleepily and soon returned to dreamland.

"Will you?" she asked, eyes wide. The images burned into her mind.

The blond girl with the red tint in her hair paced the room up and down. Every now and again she let her eyes glide over to the beautiful silver ring that lay on the cream-coloured carpet. What happened the night before? What had she seen? - Were it memories of hers? No that couldn't be. Draco would never do that to her! Would never betray her, especially with that pug-faced bitch. It was some kind of cruel trickery.

Sneering at the ring, Ash suddenly remembered the face she had also seen. Who was that boy? And why did her heart-rate speed up whenever she thought about that face?

Carefully Ash bend down and picked up the ring, extending her arm as far as possible, as if the ring was poisonous or smelled disgusting. Then she let it fall into her open accessory box and swiftly sealed it away.

Whatever that ring was, she didn't like it. It was better off locked away.

She was about to storm out off the room, but something stopped her. Just before she reached the door, she glanced back again. She only saw her accessory box, yet she couldn't help but stare. Again she felt herself pacing the room.

_What does this mean?_ she asked herself in frustration again and again.

Again she walked up to the accessory box and opened it. The ring was still lying there where she had dropped it a couple of minutes before, gleaming mockingly at her in the ray of light that hit it.

"What are you?" she asked the ring, picking it back up and placing it in the palm of her hand. She chewed on her thumb with the other hand, while staring at the glistening shape of the ring. Slowly, unsure if she should, she picked the ring up again and slid it onto her thin long finger.

With anticipation, she stared at it... nothing happened.

Frustrated, she ripped it off her finger once again and smashed it with all her might across the room. Cringing when she heard metal hit a mirror and the mirror shattering into a thousand pieces.

Feeling guilty, Ash walked over to the shattered mirror. Her eyes widened in disbelief, when she saw that not only the mirror broke. The ring lay in two separate parts, the stone had left its silver casing.

The chocolate brown eyes haunted her thoughts as tears threatened to escape her green eyes.

Biting back the tears, Ash softly picked up the two ring parts and carried them to the accessory box. She didn't really understand why, but she felt as if she had betrayed and hurt the boy with the chocolate eyes just now. She felt as if she stabbed herself in the heart.

But why?

Didn't Draco give her this ring? Shouldn't she have thought of him when she had looked at the ring?

Who was that boy?

Who was her heart crying out for?

"What happened here?" a voice suddenly ripped her out of her thoughts. Swiftly she turned around and saw Draco standing at the door, eyes strained on the broken mirror before glancing up and seeing her watering eyes. "Ash? Are you alright?" he asked, concern clearly present in his voice.

When she didn't answer, he walked over to her hurriedly and embraced her tightly. Not knowing that this only made her feel far worse. His warm, caring touch felt like a butcher knife being rammed into her back. The pressure on her head, as he stroked her hair softly felt like her heart being ripped out of her open carcass and the sweet nothings that he whispered into her ear and made her body shiver pleasantly, were pure torture.

This man, holding her so tightly, was everything she had longed for. He was the one she loved, the one she was going to marry!

And yet she was betraying him in her mind with a boy she wasn't even sure existed.

She hated herself for it, but her mind strayed to the full dark lips of the dark skinned boy, longing for him to be the one whispering sweet nothings into her ear.


	18. Chapter 18 - Pug Face

"You've been acting weird lately," she heard a voice state next to her.

Snapping back to attention, she looked over at the speaker, her father. "I'm sorry, I had lots on my mind lately."

A frown crossed his features. "Have I given you too much work?" he asked, not concerned but annoyed. Ever since her memory loss, she had still been a great asset to his plans - more useful then most of his other followers -, but also more emotional than before.

"No, of course not."

Voldemort looked at the girl. Had he made a mistake by not killing her? By making her his second-on-command? By giving Draco the job of watching over her? - Looking around, his frowned deepened.

"Where's Draco?" he asked, it didn't really matter to him, but he hated it when someone didn't do their job correctly, especially if it was as easy an task as this.

Ash shrugged. "He wanted to discuss something with Parkinson..." Ash said, biting her lip when she said the name 'Parkinson'.

Voldemort didn't say anything, but saw that the girl was debating asking something herself. Dipping his feather into the ink, and starting to read through the papers in front of him, he waited for her to speak.

"Dad, has Draco ever -" Ash started, but then stopped, deciding that she wasn't prepared to hear the answer. "Nah, its nothing, I'll be going then, sorry for wasting your time," she said instead. Still frowning, she got of the comfortable chair she had been sitting on and walked to the door.

Just before she reached the door, Voldemort said, "Parkinson and Draco were dating a few years ago."

Ash turned to look at her father. Why had he said that? Looking down at the floor, Ash opened the door and left the room without saying another word, slamming the door shut at the process.

"Master? Why did you tell her that?" Wormtail asked intrigued, from one of the dark corners of the room.

Voldemort, smirked at the door, "I love the face she makes when she's upset. I haven't seen it in such a long time..."

Ash was storming down the corridor. Her fathers words running through her head. _Parkinson and Draco were dating a few years ago...They had been together... They had sex with each other..._

Suddenly the image she saw that fateful night a while ago didn't seem so far fetched... _What if pug-face was better in bed then me?_ she asked in her head quietly. _Would he go back to her? Would he cheat on me?_ her head was exploding with questions. Only one thing was clear, he would never leave her, she knew that one for certain. "But maybe he's only staying with me for the power he can gain through me?" she muttered softly, shocked at where her thoughts had lead her.

Ash was pacing now. Up and down the corridor, not knowing what to think or do. She had to find Draco. Fast.

Without further ado, Ash was rushing through the halls of the gigantic mansion. Left, right, up and down the stairs, throwing open doors that stood in her way. Until suddenly she stopped short. She heard an all to familiar giggle.

Ash stood still for a minute, just listening to the giggling that was interlaced with a few moans every now and again.

With every second, an anger built up in her body that was making her blood start to boil. Her eyes grew smaller, her frown grew bigger and her jaw clenched tightly as she tried to stay calm.

Agonizingly slowly she turned to the door that the noise was coming from and stepped towards the door. In slow motion her hand flew towards the door handle and gripped it with stiff hands.

With one strong push, Ash threw open the door.

"Ash!" Draco's voice called out to her... from the end of the hallway.

In front of her was Pansy - she had heard the giggle correctly, but the man in her arms wasn't Draco. Ash was staring, wide eyed and about to throw up, at pug-face and Vincent Crabbe... doing it...

Pansy looked over when she heard the door open and screeched.

Vincent didn't seem to have heard the door opening, but seemed to enjoy however Pansy's body reacted to the intrusion, because he gave out a loud grunt and let his fat body fall on the girls.

Draco saw his fianceè pale and blush at the same time, heard the scream coming from the room and rushed over to Ash's side, only glancing into the room before throwing the door shut in disgust and focusing at Ash.

Ash on the other hand had frozen in shock. It took her about two minutes before she was able to blink once again. "Bloody Merlin..." she breathed as she felt herself go out of the shock. Looking up at Draco, she couldn't help herself any more. She started laughing.

"Holy fuck... Did... Did you see that?" she asked, laughing even more at the look Draco was giving her - as if she had lost her mind.

"Are you alright?"

Ash breathed hard, tears were pouring down her cheeks out of laughter and relief. Relief... she really had believed to see Draco in there... Ash shook her head in anger out of herself. How could she have ever doubted Draco?

"Yeah, yeah I'm good..." still trying to over come the shakes of laughter that ran through her body. "That was so disturbing!" she giggled, looking up at Draco with a sly grin.

"Yeah..." he muttered, seeming to only now really think about what he saw. "Why did you open that door in the first place?"

Ash froze, what should she say? She couldn't really say, 'Oh, I thought it was you grunting your life out in there with pug-face,' could she now? So she gave the next best answer that come into her head, "I thought I saw a bunny run into the room."

Obviously, Draco frowned at that answer to his question, not fully convinced, but he went with it. "Let me guess, a white bunny with a waistcoat and a watch, saying 'I'm late, I'm late?'"

"No, you dummy. Rabbits cant talk!" she said seriously shaking her head in fake outrage.

At that Draco smirked, "Told you watching Alice in Wonderland five times in a row wasn't a good idea."

Ash tried to hide a grin, "But you must admit it was fun!"

"Whatever," he answered with a small chuckle, as he wrapped an arm around her waist and started leading her away from the room of doom.

Leaning into Draco, Ash smirked happily. She had been worrying for nothing. Draco would never again touch something that had been once touched by Crabbe - or Goyle for that matter.

"For Merlins sake!" Ash heard a screech coming her way as she sat down in her chair. They were about to have a meeting, but most of the Death Eaters were still not there. "Why do you always have to open the forsaken door when I'm having sex?!"

Ash turned to stare at Pansy, "Do you really think right now is the best time to be discussing this?" she asked quietly, trying to hint about the others in the room, and her father that had just walked into the room.

"I will discuss this whenever I feel like it! Have you never learned what closed doors mean?"

"Have you never learned, what locks are for?" Ash countered.

Pansy glared at her.

"Look, I'm sorry about intruding on you during sex..." Ash said with a sigh, adding "twice..." in a whisper. "But I never meant for it to happen! I really had no idea!" she said, but she could have left that out. The whole room had gone quiet when she had added the 'twice', Pansy included.

"... Wha- What do you m-mean t-twice?" Pansy asked, wide-eyed and stuttering. "You aren't supposed to know that!" she said, taking a step back. Frantically her eyes wondered over to the Dark Lord, who was still sitting in his chair, seemingly at ease. Next to him Draco and Snape sprang from their chairs and stared at Ash.

Ash looked over at Draco's face and saw shock, hurt and fear? in his eyes. Why fear?

Snape on the other hand seemed to have a hopeful glance in his eyes. Why? Ever since she can remember - which would be about five months now, - she had avoided him at all costs. He creeped her out with unfaltering stares and weird suggestions.

Confusion filled her head. Why were they acting as if regaining her memory was a bad thing?

"Ash..." her fathers hissing voice penetrated through the thick silence that had settled in the room. "Come over her and tell me what do you remember?"

Ash looked over at the bald figure, his menacing eyes boring into her skull. She knew she had no way of denying his request. Slowly she walked over to him and knelled in front of him, her hand covering his.

"Not much... I just had this flash that I saw something similar before..." she said, not looking into her fathers eyes. "Draco and Pansy, you told me they had been together before... I guess accidently intruded them as well."

"Do you still remember when that was?" her father hissed.

Ash looked up. "I have no idea, I guess before Draco and I began seeing each other..."

Ash felt her father trying to enter her mind and closed her eyes, allowing him to enter part of her brain - the part he wanted to see.

"I'm happy you started regaining your memories, my love. Tell me whenever you get a flash, alright?"

"Yes, my lord," she whispered and bowed her head, before smiling at the dark clad figure.

Standing up and sitting down at her fathers right side, Ash let out a small sigh of relief. She had managed to keep the dark boys face out of mind while Voldemort had combed it. Unsure why, she knew that that would have been troublesome for her...


	19. Chapter 19 - Row

"You remember things?" Draco asked forcefully, once they were back together in their room, alone. "How much? What? How come?"

Ash glanced at him with a smile, "Yeah," she admitted happily and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, she pulled him near to her, still grinning broadly. "It's not much, but its good to know that my memories are somewhere in my head, I just need to find them."

Draco looked at her unsure. For a few seconds he didn't say anything, but soon he made up his mind. "Ash... Don't try to remember any more of what you've forgotten."

Ash frowned. "What? Why?" she asked letting go of Draco and taking a step back.

She saw that Draco tensed a bit when she had let go of him, longing for her touch, but he left her the space she needed. "It's not good, it will only hurt you if you remember any more," he said softly, running one of his hands through his hair. He could see that his words were hurting her, that she didn't understand what he meant, but he needed to protect her.

The blond girl frowned at him, "I don't understand... Shouldn't you be happy for me? Shouldn't this be something good?" Her voice got louder with every spoken word, until she was screaming into his face.

Turning his head away in shame, he said "No, no it isn't something good," with a sad tone of voice. _The only reason your alive right now is because you don't remember..._ he added in his thoughts, but was intelligent enough to not let that thought slip out of his mouth.

Ash fell quiet. She didn't move, she didn't say a word, she just stood there and let her fiancée's words echo in her mind.

"Why?" she finally managed to ask, her voice not louder then a quiet whisper.

"Trust me," he whispered.

"Why?" she repeated herself.

"Please," he pleaded, "just believe my words and trust me when I say this. I only want to protect you."

Ash stayed quiet. She didn't move a muscle in her body and stared at his chest emotionlessly. He already gave up on getting another word out of her, when she asked, "Protect me from what?"

Draco looked at her softly, "From anything that might hurt you."

"And what about yourself? Are you protecting me from yourself as well?"

"I would never hurt you!" he said, raising his voice a bit.

Ash gave a dry chuckle and stared into his eyes, "But you are hurting me!" she whispered back and left Draco speechless. "You hide things from me, you're distancing yourself from me and I noticed that you look at me in a different way then at the start. You're trying so hard to keep the past from me, that you are ruining any kind of future we have!" she said slowly and quietly, holding back the hurt she felt when she said these words. But she knew they needed to be said and she had decided to not hold back her thoughts.

Draco looked at her, a frown disgracing his beautiful features. "I'm sorry," was all he said. No explanation, nothing that would hint that he saw the wrong in his doing, except his words.

"Are you? Really?" Ash asked, looking him into the eyes.

The blond boy looked up at her and nodded, "I truly am."

Ash nodded and turned away from him, walking up to the window. It had become dark outside, night. The stars were shining above them and reflected of the small flecks of snow that still graced the landscape. She let everything she knew run through her mind before nodding to herself and turning to face Draco again. He hadn't made a move, only watched her in silence.

Looking at him, she smiled. "You're right, I'll just have to trust in you." Draco's body clearly relaxed at her words, every tension in his fibres gone. "So, how do we spend the rest of the night?" Ash intregued, with a small smirk on her face, as she neared her fiancé once again.

Draco looked at her, a bit surprised at the way she looked at him, "I do have an idea..." he said, a smirk forming on his face as he closed the distance between them.

"If you're thinking what I'm thinking, then I think I would like the idea," Ash said with a smirk on her own.

Not another word was said, as Draco pulled her close to him and gave her a passionate kiss...

**+++ Disclaimer +++**

**_This part contains scenes that should not be read by people under 17!  
I warned you. You wont really miss anything important if you don't read it._******

His lips were so soft and warm against her own, but there was a force and roughness to his actions that took her breath away. His strong arms that were wrapped around her waist strengthened their hold of her and pulled her off the ground.

"What are you doing?" she gasped as she didn't feel the floor at her feet any more.

Instead of giving her an answer, the he just smirked and shifted her body, so that her legs were wrapped around him and he could effortlessly hold her up with only one arm. The other arm moved away from supporting her and passionately ran up her side. All the while his lips were attached to hers. When his hand reached her breasts, she felt him gently cup her and quickly stroke over her hidden nipple.

A soft moan erupted from her mouth and she found herself softly biting his lower lip, while her hands were tangled in his platinum blond hair. Leaning forwards, the strawberry blond girl forced him to stumble backwards until he hit the cupboard behind him with a muted grunt. With one nimble movement, he turned around and let her fall onto the cupboard.

For a second, both of them didn't move a muscle. Breathing heavily, the two of them just stared into each others lust filled eyes, before roaming and mentally undressing their bodies with their eyes.

Simultaneously they sprung back to action. She stretched her arms out, grabbed his shirt and pulled him back to her, attaching their lips once again, while his hands found their hold of her shirt and started pulling off the unwanted layer.

Her eyes flashed with greed as she pulled back and allowed the shirt to fly off, wrapping her legs tightly around her fiancées waist, pulling him as near as possible and swiftly ripping open his button-up shirt, she heard the buttons hit the soft floor softly. Who cares if it stayed whole? They could always repair it later on.

Soon after, her lips left his once again and started making their was across his strong jaw, down his neck. After a short search, she felt the boy under her arms tense up and knew she had found his weak spot. Without mercy she attacked the spot right between his neck and collarbone, forcing his breath to come out in shorter and shorter episodes accompanied by deep throaty moans.

But that wasn't enough for her. Pulling him closer with her legs that were still wrapped around his torso, she let the fingers of one of her hands softly sweep over his chest and stomach, until her hand swiftly cupped his hardening groin.

Just this simple gesture had a very pleasing effect, for his breath hitched harshly and she felt him grip onto the rim of the sideboard she was on. His knees were going weak.

Letting her mouth leave his now bruising neck and her legs fall away from his torso, the strawberry blond leaped off the sideboard and twirled the two of them around, pushing him against the wooded frame. Looking up into his eyes, she let her second hand sink down towards his pants.

It didn't take very long until his pants were at his ankles and he was trying to keep himself upright by clutching the wood behind him. Excited he watched as the girl started to gently leave a trail of butterfly kisses along his muscled breast, down, down, down over his stomach. All the while her hands were playfully cavort around the hem of his undergarments.

"Ash," he breathed roughly when he felt her lips grassing right above the annoying layer of his boxers, that were starting to make him feel uncomfortable.

A flicker of her tongue, a gentle kiss above the trim. Hands running along the inside of his thighs... she was toying with him.

"Ash... please," he breathed, his eyes closed, waiting for the sensation he was longing for.

A soft giggle... no chuckle, escaped her mouth as she stood up again, "and what do I get for that?" she asked huskily.

"What... what do you mean?" Draco asked, refusing to open his eyes and coming back to reality.

One hand brushed over his groin making him gasp, swiftly her hand moved down his length until it reached his balls. Her mouth was right next to his ear as she breathed, "do I get your _trust_?" the last word shot out of her mouth like a whip and simultaneously enclosed her hand over his balls just a tat to tightly.

His eyes shot open wide and he stared at her open mouthed. "Ash!"

Just as fast as she had grabbed him, she loosened her hand again and smiled at him seductively. "Don't ever crush my feelings like that again, do you understand me?" she asked sensuously, while her hand once again started moving up and down his - surprisingly - still very hard shaft.

Draco took a deep shaky breath, "Yes, I understand."

Ash smiled happily and stepped away from the platinum blond man. She needed to show him whose in power. Never allow a guy to think he can do what he wants with you - it doesn't matter if its toying with your emotions, your life or body.

Swinging her hips from side to side, she turned around and started walking away from him.

"Where are you going?" he called after her, making her stop.

A smirk graced her face as she stared a head, not turning her head. "Where do you want me to go?" she chuckled, hearing him walk over to her.

He simply stated, "Bed."

As soon as she got there, she allowed Draco to push her on top of the bed and let a moan escape her mouth as he place himself over her, attacking her neck.

Giving in to the pleasure, the girl threw back her head and closed her eyes, following the boys every touch in her head. His hands roamed over her stomach and soon one found found its way to her breasts. It didn't take long and her bra, as well as her own pants where laying on the floor, where their other articles of clothing had recently found a place to rest.

Normally he would have taken her right then and there, but today was different. Instead of simply opening her throbbing thighs, he continued carcassing her body, smothering it with butterfly kisses, as he moved further and further down on her.

When she felt his hot breath lingering over her sex, she was dying for him to touch her.

Chuckling softly, she knew what he wanted. He wanted revenge, make her feel the same frustration she had given him only moments ago.

His breath switched from hot laboured breathing into a cool blow, still staying only millimetres away from her entrance. "Draco..." she said softly, "I understand."

Draco chuckled, "Good."

That was that. He proved his point and now he just took what they had wanted all along. Without a second thought, he dipped down.

Her knees nearly buckled as she felt his hot lips press against her, his wet tongue slipping in and out of her, drawing patterns on her clitoris. Moaning loudly, the girls hands tangled into his nearly white hair in ecstasy. "Draco!" she moaned, signalling him to go on, do more. Obliged to her demands, his tongue darted in and out of her in an accelerating speed, that made her mind go blank.

Promptly she felt her muscle contract and let loose, her mind loosing every focus, her body just anticipating the feeling. Then her body expolded and a throbbing electric current split through her every cell.

Enjoying the blissful feeling, Ash didn't notice that Draco had made his way back up to her and without a warning, her world was spun around again as he plunged into her. Ash swore loudly, as she noticed what he did, but rapidly came around to enjoy the ride. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper. When Draco crashed his lips onto hers, she could taste herself on his mouth. Her nails dragged down his back hard, leaving deep marks and making Draco hiss into their kiss as his hips move back and forth, each movement making her body jolt with physical excitement.

With every second his thrusts got faster, harder, rougher. Again and again explosions and electric shocks run through her body as she reaches her climax again and again. She gasped as Draco's speed changed once again and all her breath, energy and thoughts fled her body. He was now moving his hips back and forth against hers faster and rougher than her body could possibly cope with. Her mind was blank as she closed her eyes and just felt.

Soon she heard Draco breaths get more and more laboured and briskly gets thrown over the edge one last time when her back arches involuntarily and Draco moans loudly - eyes closed, cuming - making Ash scream with pleasure.

Moaning with every breath, Draco rode off his climax. Gently he pulled out off her, making her emit a low sigh of displeasure, as she squirmed and digged her nails into the sheets beneath her, trapped in the post-multi-orgasm haze.

When both of them finally calmed down again, they suddenly hear a gentle rap on the door, before it slowly opened. Both their eyes turned to see who intruded on them.

In the doorway stood a small dirty, ugly creature with a pillow casing covering its body. "I'm sorry, Masters... Your mother wants to see you in the main hall immediately, Master Malfoy." the house-elf said with a low bow.

"Tell her I'll be there in a bit," Draco said lazily, waving a hand to signal the house-elf was to leave them.

"Sir, your mother was very insistent that you come right away, sir," the house-elf elaborated, much to the annoyance of the two young adults.

"We'll be right there, Grady," Ash said and started to get out of the bed.

With a low bow Grady the house-elf left the two of them alone once more.

"What do you think they want?" Draco asked with a sigh as he let his eyes roam Ash's body once more.

"I have no idea, but we better not let your mother wait for too long."


	20. Chapter 20 - Potter

When both of them finally calmed down again, they suddenly hear a gentle rap on the door, before it slowly opened. Both their eyes turned to see who intruded on them.

In the doorway stood a small dirty, ugly creature with a pillow casing covering its body. "I'm sorry, Masters... Your mother wants to see you in the drawing room immediately, Master Malfoy." the house-elf said with a low bow.

"Tell her I'll be there in a bit," Draco said lazily, waving a hand to signal the house-elf was to leave them.

"Sir, your mother was very insistent that you come right away, sir," the house-elf elaborated, much to the annoyance of the two young adults.

"We'll be right there, Grady," Ash said and started to get out of the bed.

With a low bow Grady the house-elf left the two of them alone once more.

"What do you think they want?" Draco asked with a sigh as he let his eyes roam Ash's body once more.

"I have no idea, but we better not let your mother wait for too long."

"I guess you're right..." he muttered as he got off the bed as well. Without much ado, they walked towards their wardrobe and pulled on some fresh clothes.

"Honey," Ash said with a soft giggle as Draco was about to leave the room, "Your hair is still a mess." Promptly Ash walked over to him and ran her fingers through his messed up hair, untangling it to its normal sleek form. "All good now," she smiled as Draco leaned down to her and gave her a small peck on the lips.

"Lets go."

Smiling, Ash took hold of Draco's arm and together they made their way towards the drawing room.

As Ash and Draco entered the dark purple walled room, they took in a surprising scene. In the middle of the room were a huddled mass of dirty people, forced onto their knees. Another four dirty thugs stood around the prisoners and look expectantly at Draco's parents. Narcissa and Lucius however stared at one specific prisoner excitedly.

Ash followed their gaze and stopped her eyes at a very ugly and distorted looking fellow. His face was huge, with a weird pinkish shine to it. The tangled raven black hair reached his slummed shoulders and there was a dark shadow around his jaw. His, what seemed like green eyes where nearly shut under the swollen eye lids.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ash asked, receiving a fascinating gasping reaction by four of the bound people, including the freak.

The heads of the two death eaters snapped around and looked at Draco and her.

With a shaky voice, Lucius answered, "They say they found Harry Potter."

He and his wife had recently made some unfavourable decisions and had gotten on a bit of a bad side with her father, their relation to Draco being the only thing that protected the two of them. "Is that so?" Ash asked softly, letting go of Draco's arm and walking over to the huddled mess, leaning down to examine the boys face. Sneering a bit, Ash looked over at her two elders, "Doesn't look anything like that pictures I saw of him."

"Tha- That is why we asked for Draco to come, he's known Potter for many years, if it is him Draco should know."

Ash looked back towards Draco, who stood at the door frozen.

"Come on son," Lucius beckoned his son, walking over to him and forcing him to walk towards the freak show. Ash smiled at him encouragingly and let her hand slip into his when he was near enough. "Well Draco?" his father said with a avid sneer, "Is it... Is it Harry Potter?"

"I... I can't be sure," he said in a shaking voice, his eyes trying not to look into the other boys eyes.

"Draco," Ash said in a soft whisper, "Look at him. If this is Potter you can get your parents out of all the mess their in right now!"

"I know that," Draco said roughly, getting closer to the boy, but he still seemed pretty reluctant.

"It us that caught him you know," a familiar and unpleasant voice came from her left. Annoyed she let her eyes drift over at the big man with the sharp teeth.

"It won't be forgotten Greyback. You'll have your gold, don't you worry about it," she sighed. "But if you're lying to us and this isn't Potter, you better be prepared to take responsibility for it!" she added threateningly, shutting the werewolf up.

"What did you do to him any ways?" Lucius asked as he got as close as possible to the freaks face. "How did he get into this state?"

"Wasn't us," was all Greyback had to say about that.

"Looks more like a stinging curse if you ask me," Ash incepted, turning her attention back towards the black haired boy.

"There's something there..." Lucius muttered as his eyes ran over the boys forehead. "Draco, take a look at this, is this the scar?"

Reluctantly Draco neared the boy a bit more so that his face was right next to his fathers. "I don't know," he said sharply before straightening up again and joining up with Ash once again.

"We had better be certain," Narcissa called out with her cold, emotionless voice. "Completely sure that it is Potter before we summon the Dark Lord. Remember what he did to the others."

"I know," Lucius snapped.

Ash nodded softly, if they were wrong about this, even she couldn't protect them from her fathers wrath.

"What about the mudblood then?" Greyback growled and signalled to the others to bring the girl to the front of the group.

Ash inhaled sharply, there was the girl Draco had once shown her a picture of. One of her kidnappers that had fault in her loss of memory. She could clearly remember the untameable brown hair. "Yes! That is the Granger girl, isn't it Draco?"

Draco looked down on her, biting his lips before looking over at the girl. "I don't... maybe... yeah..." he said in a depressed voice.

"Then that is the Weasley boy!" Lucius called out excitedly, pointing at the red head next to the girl. Ash looked at the red haired boy, with the many freckles in his face and eyes that stared at her in utter disbelief. "Draco look at him! Isn't this him? That blood traitors son?"

Ash felt Draco's body tense up a bit as he just nodded his head in agreement.

Letting her attention focus only on Draco, Ash turned to stare up at him and brushed a loose strand of hair from him face. "What is it Draco?" she asked him in a whisper.

"Nothing, I..." his face turned to look at the prisoners, "I just don't feel comfortable with this whole situation," he answered honestly.

Ash looked up at him, trying to lock his eyes. What was he talking about? They were the ones that had taken her memories! They were the ones that were trying to shatter her fathers empire. "Draco, they're the bad ones in this story! Don't forget that!" she spat and turned away from her fiancée and looking back at the crowd. "We're going to call father, right now!" she hissed with authority and ripped up her left sleeve to reveal the dark mark branded onto her.

"No!" Lucius called out, "I will call him!" he said just before Ash could touch her mark.

"Then do - " she was interrupted by another voice, waltzing into the room.

"What is going on here?" Bellatrix bellowed at the group of them.

"We're about to summon father, we found Potter," Ash grinned in pride.

"Potter!?" she shrieked. "Well go on then! The Dark Lord must be informed at once!" she said, dragging up her left sleeve about to touch her mark, but Ash was faster.

"Lucius will summon him, it is his house you have made yourself so comfortable it," Ash sneered as she covered Bella's mark with her own hand, preventing her to touch it.

Lucius nodded, "Yes thats true, this is my house and the summoning of the Lord falls under my authority!"

"Authority? You lost all your authority together with your wand!"

"All of you be quiet! This whole household falls under _my_ authority. I am the rank highest here as long as my father, your master, is gone!" Ash shouted loudly, stopping the useless bickering of the two adults in its tracks.

"Hey! Don't forget that we are the ones who captured him! We get the gold!" Greyback intervened.

Both women shot him a dirty glare, "Who cares about the gold?" they snapped in unison.

Bella walked over to the group of prisoners, her eyes going into slits as she recognized Granger and Weasley. "Potters the ugly fellow that was hit with a sting curse," Ash explained.

"Go on then, summon him already!" Bellatrix spat.

Ash looked at her, "Do it Lucius!" she said coldly.

Getting ripped out of his trance, Lucius nodded and pulled free his mark. Just as he was about to touch it with his finger, Bellatrix gave a loud shout. "Stop!" she shouted. "If you summon him now we're all dead!" she cried.

Every set of eyes moved to stare at Bellatrix Lestrange or how Ash liked calling her the strange. She was furiously stalking up at one of the snatchers, "What is that?" Bella spat at him, pointing towards a sword that was stuck in the snatchers belt.

"A sword," grunted the snatcher

"Give it to me!"

"It's mine! I found it!"

Bella didn't say another word, her hand flew to her wand and she swiftly cast four stunning spells, making the three wizards drop on the floor where they stood and forcing Greyback the werewolf onto his knees, his wand uselessly hanging in his hands.

"Where did you get this sword?" Bella asked in a furious whisper.

"How dare you women! Release me at once," the werewolf growled.

"Where did you find this sword?" she repeated. "Snape had this sword transferred to my vault in Gringotts!"

"It was in their tent!" Greyback rasped at her loudly, "Now release me, I say."

With a flick of her wand she released her magical hold of the werewolf and he swiftly jumped back on his feet, but was cautious enough to not attack her.

"What is it, Bella?" Ash asked, her voice keeping calm.

Bella didn't even glance at her, "a very serious problem. Draco bring the scum outside, if you don't have the guts to finish them off wait there for me."

Narcissa inhaled deeply, "Don't you dare order my son around like that! You are a guest in this -"

"Shut up Sisi, you have no idea what in what a grave danger we are in!" Then she turned to Greyback, "Bring the prisoners into the cellar until I know what to do."

Ash was following the event from the spot she had been standing on all the time, next to Draco. When she had ordered Draco around, she had stopped his actions with a soft hold on his arm and now she had enough. Without a word, Ash ripped out her wand and pointed it at the older women. A blue flame erupted from the tip of her wand and Bella fell onto the floor with a loud unnerving screech.

"Bella, never ignore me," Ash hissed in a soft voice that was barely audioable over the others screams.

After a few seconds, Ash felt Draco's hands on her shoulders trying to calm her down once more. With a sigh, Ash lowered her wand and released the punished women from her suffering. Quickly she turned around and stared at Ash wide eyed.

"Now tell me, what is the problem?"

Bella's jaw clenched, as well as her fists that formed around her dress. "The sword is Gryffindors Sword, it can..." she didn't say any more, but looked at Ash expectantly. At once Ash let her mind slip into the others and saw the problem Lestrange didn't want to say out loud. The sword she had been holding was Godric Gryffindors, a sword made by goblins and coated with Basilisk venom... a sword that her father had given extreme measures into protecting it and stopping from getting into someone else's possession.

Ash inhaled sharply. "Draco, please bring the snatchers out of here and give them their reward for the prisoners," she said still staring at Bella, "Lucius help him." Next her gaze wandered over to the group of prisoners, "Fenrir, bring the prisoners into the cellar, first cell you encounter."

"We have to find out-!" Bella started, but stopped short at one glance of Ash.

"Bella, we'll keep the Mudblood here for questioning," Ash decided with a nod and signalled the older women to get the girl. Without a second to loose, Bella sprung to her feet and got a knife from a pocket hidden in her dress.

"No! Ash! Don't do this! Keep me instead! Don't hurt her!" the red haired boy pleaded desperately.

Ash sneered, "Don't you dare say my name you blood traitor," she spat. "But don't worry, you'll be next if she doesn't make it through the questioning."

With that the werewolf forced the group to their feet and shuffled them out of the room, leaving only Granger behind. Bella grabbed the girls hair and pulled her towards Ash.

Ash didn't move until Hermione was thrown in front of her feet and all other movement had been stopped. Now it was only Ash, Bella, Narcissa and Granger in the room left. With a glance to the side, she looked at Narcissa, "I would enjoy a cup of tea right now," she suggested softly and with only a small grimace, Sisi left the room.

"Now, I have one small question for you. It would be very smart of you to answer right away, otherwise you'll be in a lot of pain. So, where did you get the sword from?"

"I will never tell the likes of you!" Hermione answered and spat onto her shoe.

"Wrong answer."

Her scream erupted through the whole mansion. Ash had comfortably sat down in one of the soft chairs next to the fireplace, and was now watching Bella as she used her knife to torturing the brown haired girl. One by one the letters M-U-D-B-L-O-O-D appeared on her soft white skin.

"Now, will you still not tell me what I want to know? Do we really have to go on with this?" Ash asked, pushing Bella out of the way and taking the girls arm into her own hands. Slowly she let her fingers move across her forearm, making sure not to touch the wound.

"You do know stealing is bad, right?" Ash asked, and on the word bad poked her sharp fingernail into one of the bleeding flesh wounds. Granger screamed once more, but she didn't utter a word. Nodding, Ash started to dig her finger in deeper and then jabbed it sideways, grinning at the pain filled scream that emerged from her mouth.

"We didn't steal it!" she cried.

Ash pulled out her finger. "You didn't steal it?" she asked, scepticism in her voice. "Should I believe that you found it then? Just randomly lying around in the woods while it should have been in a Gringotts vault?" she asked furious, once again jabbing at the still bleeding wound. "Did it just decide to take a small walk into the woods, did it now?" she said, jabbing into one of the carved lines with every word she said.

Tears were rolling out of the girls eyes as she stared into the emotionless eyes of her torturer. "What happened to you Ash? When ever did you become so heartless and cruel?" the girl sobbed, spit and slime running out of her mouth and nose, mixing with the endless streams of salty water from her eyes.

Ash was taken back a bit by her words. "How would you ever know how I was before? Not even I know that!" she sneered and got onto her feet.

She could see the prisoners eyes following her step and Bella's eyes hardening, her hand moving to her wand once again.

"You... You lost you're memory?"

"Of course I did, you stupid wrenched piece of shit!" Ash swore and stepped onto the bloody arm of her prisoner, making a scream erupt out of her throat once again. "You and your little bastards of friends saw to that!" she spat, literally.

Tears were now raking her whole body, "But the last time..." the girl weeped, but Bella used that exact moment to let loose the crucio curse that had been on her lips the whole time.

"How did you get the sword out of the vault?" Bella screamed.

"We didn't! We found it!" Hermione cried out again, staying on her made up story.

"You are lying you filthy Mudblood and I know it!" Bella screamed, "You have been inside my vault in Gringotts! Tell the truth!" Again her wand flashed blue as the crucio curse was released and hit the girl square in the chest. A terrible pained scream came out of her mouth. "What else have you taken out of there you filthy piece of scum?"

"We didn't take anything!" Hermione cried silent tears. "We were never in your vault!"

"Stop lying to us!" Bella shouted once again, Ash had sat back down on her chair, her one hand still bloody, but she didn't care. Carelessly she leaned her head against the wet hand and watched intently as Bella had her fun.

After a few more minutes, Narcissa came back with her tea, and Draco and Lucius joined them as well.

Thanking her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Ash took her cup out of the other woman's hands and took a sip from the hot beverage.

"The sword is a fake!" Granger gasped.

"And we should believe that stupid lie?" Bella snorted.

"Well, it's easy enough to prove, is it not? We can get the goblin to examine it," Lucius said with a small smile.

Ash nodded and looked around at the others, Draco was looking sick at the bloody sight before him. "Draco, go get the goblin," Ash said, giving him an excuse to leave the room, if only for a short while.

Patiently they waited for Draco to come back with the small prisoner. When he came in, Ash smiled pleasantly. "Ah, Mr. Goblin, thank you for your time. Could you please tell us if the sword here is real or fake?" she asked, taking the sword into her already bloody hand and handing it over to him. Just before she let it fall into his arms though, she whispered into his ear, "I will know if you lie to me and if you do, you will die in the worst and most painful way you can imagine."

Fear crossed his eyes and with a trembling hand he examined the shiny sword, "I can't tell, I need a minute to examine it..." he stuttered.

Ash growled, signalling Bella to attack Hermione again. "Hurry up," was all she said when the scream died down again.

Suddenly a loud cracking sound echoed through the mansion and everyone froze.

"Did you hear that?" Lucius asked shocked, "That came from the cellar!"

Ash saw Draco turn to see what was going on. "Draco, no. Get Wormtail to check on what is going on down there!" she said with a hard stare, as Draco grimaced - he didn't really like it when she ordered him around. But he did what he was told anyway.

His footsteps echoed through the hall, but soon there was only silence. The only sound that was made was by the girl who was shivering in pain.

Soon they saw Draco reenter the room and heard Wormtails heavy footfalls as he descended the stairs.

They heard him say something indecipherable before the door flew open and a muffled struggling noise was heard. Then nothing.

"Lucius, see whats happening," Ash ordered.

"What is it Wormtail?" he said when he reached the top of the stairs.

"Nothing," they heard the squeaking, wheezy voice, "Everything is alright."

They saw Lucius come back into the room, shrugging, "Everything normal he says."

Ash shrugged as well and turned back to the goblin. "And? Was that enough time? Tell me! Is it Godric Gryffindors sword?"

The goblin shook his head, "No, its a fake."

"Are you sure?" Bellatrix said from behind her, "Quite sure?"

"Yes," said the Goblin. Ash smiled and stood up, getting out of Bellatrix's way as she swung her wand and let gashes appear on the goblins body.

"Good, now we can call the Dark Lord," she grinned happily and revealed her own dark mark. In a split seconds time her finger touched the softness of her skin as it started burning up black again and let a burning sensation run down her arm.

"What of the Mudblood?" Greyback asked.

Ash looked at him sharply, "You can have her," she shrugged uncaringly.

"No!" came a unexpected scream from the door and all of them turned around in shock. Ash saw the red headed boy race towards the now unconscious Mudblood.

Bella turned around pointing her wand at the boy, but he was faster. He roared "Expelliamus," sending her wand away from her and towards Potter.

In not even a seconds time, she saw Lucius stiffen and fall onto the floor face first. Swiftly she turned around and sent a stupefying spell towards the two boys, but it didn't hit as they flung themselves behind furniture.

"Come out and throw away the wands, or she dies!" Bella suddenly screamed from beside her. Turning her head, she saw that Bellatrix was cradling the Mudblood, holding her knife tightly to the girls neck. She saw that Potter and Weasley also saw and without a real second thought, both of them came out of their hiding places, let the wands fall and raise their hands to shoulder height.

Without a word having to be said, Draco walked up to them and took away their wands.

Smiling she was just about to turn to Draco and walk up to him, when she suddenly heard the chandelier above them creak. With a swift look upwards, she saw the chandelier fall out of the ceiling. "Draco! Watch out!" she screamed and slammed herself against her fiancée, pushing him and herself out of the way and protecting the other from the glass that exploded around the room as the chandelier hit the floor, hard.

Then when the glass stopped flying, she frantically looked around and tried to find out what just happened.

"You!" she heard Narcissa screech, and she followed the other women's gaze. It was set on a house-elf that was pointing a shaking finger at the blond women.

"I came here to protect Harry Potter, you will not harm him!" he said in a shaking voice.

"We have to hurry!" Potter shouted and Weasley and him moved into action. Weasley swiftly took a hold of the unconscious girl and Potter pulled the goblin out from under the chandelier.

In record time the two of them raced back to Dobby, who was still holding the Death Eaters in check with his elven powers.

Just before they vanished into thin air, his eyes met hers. His blue eyes filled with a sadness and hurt that it made her heart clench and cry. She didn't know why, but the disappointment in her that she saw in his eyes made her want to throw herself out of the next window and die.

_She was suddenly lying on the floor, a younger version of the blue eyes boy above her grinning down at her._

"I've got you!" he snickered happily, which made a laugh erupt from her own lungs.

With a small movement, she suddenly flipped the two of them over and laughed loudly, "You should really not get to full of yourself, you weakling," she grinned, "I will always win against you!" she giggled even louder, when she suddenly heard a far away call.

"Ron! Ash! Dinner is ready!" Quickly Ash turned to look at where the sound came from. She saw a weirdly crocked looking house in the distance, a red haired women calling out and waving at them.

Quickly her younger self jumped off her cousin and started running off, but still heard the boy chuckle softly and mutter, "Only because I let you, only because I let you."

She was so entranced, that she didn't even notice the silver knife that Bellatrix threw into the blur of disapperating bodies and the cold wind that rushed into the room as the windows flew open and her father stormed into the house.

_*****_

"You what?" Voldemort screamed at them as he stormed up and down the floor with the broken glass. Ash had given him the whole story, knowing she would be the one he'd blame.

"I'm sorry, father," she said, maybe that reminder would let him soften his punishment a bit?

Voldemort sneered, "You are no daughter of mine! My daughter would never have been so stupid as to let Harry Potter escape!" he shouted and sent the first of many torture spells towards the girl.

A nerve breaking scream erupted from her lungs and let every single soul in the mansion shudder in pain.

He was angry all right.

Again and again he fired his crucio - stronger then the crucio of so many others - at his daughter. Again and again the antagonising pain filled her very being. Again and again the others had to watch as she was cursed and had to listen to the screams that were making their ears bleed.

When his initial rage cooled down a bit, he signalled Draco to take her away and focused his attention to the rest of them. Soon after scream coursed through the mansion again as Draco hurried to bring Ash into their room where she could rest.


	21. Chapter 21 - A Change of Sceneary

"Do you think he killed her?" Bill asked them after enduring a long silence. They had just buried Dobby, and the grieve was still great.

"Who?" Ron asked sulking next to Hermione. He stared at the bandages around her arm in hurt.

"Ash..." Bill said quietly. He knew it was a hard topic, it was hard for him as well, but he just couldn't get himself to wish her death for what she's done, she was his baby cousin after all...

Harry looked up at the group of them. He had been sitting in front of the fireplace just watching the fire grizzle and flicker, eating away the wood and spending them a bit of comfort. He could see the hurt in his best friends eyes when Bill had said her name, and saw how Hermione, still quiet and tired placed her hand over his. Fleur did the same for Bill, knowing how hard it was for him to think about his missing cousin.

"No, he didn't," Harry answered emotionless.

"How do you know?" Ron asked.

"I saw it."

"Saw what?"

"His rage at the death eaters we left behind... The torture he made them go through as a punishment..." Harry's eyes were distant, "He's still at it."

All that time he had been to focused on the grieve for Dobby to really notice much of what had been going on in front of Voldemort's eyes, but now he couldn't help himself but let some of the images that rushed to him from Voldemorts minds. The contorted faces of pain and the screams that nearly made his eardrums burst. Most of the rage had been directed at Ash. Curse after curse hitting her heavily.

"And she's still alive?" Hermione asked softly.

"Yes, he's making sure he won't kill her," Harry answered, trying to block out the green eyes that were filled with pain and sorrow.

Silence fell once again.

From one of the bunks Luna looked over at Harry, sorrow in her eyes. "You know, she isn't really at fault for her behaviour..." she said in her fleeting voice.

Ron jumped up in rage. "How can you say that! She chose to be a Death Eater! She was the one that had Hermione tortured and hurt! She was the one that had you captured!" he screamed at her.

"No, Luna is right Ron," Hermione whispered softly.

Ron turned and looked at her perplex. He had expected Hermione to agree with him.

"She lost her memories. All of them. They told her some weird things about us, about her..."

"But she knew us when we went to see her! That couldn't have been fake!"

"And do you still remember what she did? She help us escape!" Hermione argued. Ron stayed quiet, listening to what the others had to say. "Something happened between then and now, something that made her loose her memories... Something that made her forget herself..."

"Maybe she's under the Imperus Curse!" Fleur offered.

Luna shook her head, "No, she's under no curse. From what I gathered when I met her and from the other prisoners told, she lost her memories shortly after Halloween. They told her that you guys had done something to her that made her loose her memories, but that Draco saved her. Now she isn't one of His most loyal follower, but actually his second-in-command, his protégé, even his daughter."

Everyone stared at Luna as if she had grown two heads, but then they remembered what they had seen and heard.

_"All of you be quiet! This whole household falls under _my _authority. I am the rank highest here as long as my father, your master, is gone!" Ash shouted loudly. The bickering adults immediately shut up and looked at her, both hanging their heads in annoyance and shame. Like children that had been disciplined by their mother._

-

They watched Bellatrix storm across the room, bellowing orders, but no one moved. All of them glanced at the strawberry blond girl in their middle who was following the event from the spot she had been standing on all the time, next to Draco. When Bellatrix gave her orders to Draco, all she needed to do was touch his arm with a soft stroke to make him stop in his tracks. Without a word, the girl ripped out her wand and pointed it at the older women. A blue flame erupted from the tip of her wand and Bella fell onto the floor with a loud unnerving screech.

"Bella, never ignore me," Ash hissed in a soft voice that was barely audioable over the others screams.

-

Ash inhaled sharply at whatever she had seen in the other womens head and set into motion. "Draco, please bring the snatchers out of here and give them their reward for the prisoners," she said still staring at Bella, "Lucius help him." Next her gaze wandered over to the group of prisoners, "Fenrir, bring the prisoners into the cellar, first cell you encounter."

"We have to find out-!" Bella started, but stopped short at one glance of Ash.

"Bella, we'll keep the Mudblood here for questioning," Ash decided with a nod and signalled the older women to get the girl. Without a second to loose, Bella sprung to her feet and got a knife from a pocket hidden in her dress and followed the order of the 18 year old teenager.  


"His daughter?" it was Bill who spoke, he hadn't seen her in action.

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded their head, "She did call him father instead of his usual names," Harry muttered softly.

Suddenly they heard a grunt form their left. The women they had found in the cell with them was finally waking up.

Fleur stood up gracefully and swayed to the cot they had put her down on. "Hello," she said smoothly, a smile gracing her beautiful lips.

"Am...am I dead?" the girl asked, staring up at the the part veela in awe.

Fleur gave a short angelic laugh, "No, you're quiet alive," she said with a smile. "We rescued you from the Death Eaters," she added. Suddenly the girl face scrunched up and she held her head as if something was forcing herself out of her mind. Frantically the girl looked around until her eyes landed on Harry and his scarred forehead.

"Did she send for you?" the still very dirty girl asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes and a smile spreading across her features.

"Who?"

"That Death Eater girl, Ash Weasley was her name! Did she send for you? You are Harry Potter, right? One of her friends?"

All of them looked at her in utter disbelieve, "You know Ash?"

"Yes, she captured me once when I was about to run away... on Halloween. If it hadn't been for her I think I'd have died that night," she said her mind wandering off.

"You never told us that," Luna said quietly, a bit confused at what the other was saying.

"I didn't remember until now. She supressed my memories," the girl explained.

"What exactly did she tell you?" Hermione asked intrigued.

The girl looked at her, then sighed and began to think. "She was devastated. She told me that this whole evening had been one living hell for her, that nothing was going for her any more and that the best thing to do for her was to kill her right then and there... You must understand I had taken her wand from her when she told me this."

"She wanted you to kill her?"

"Yes, like I said she was pretty beat up. She told me that this boy and girl... Um... Blaise and Tracy had been there and had been upset with her and that you guys also came. But she couldn't go with any of you because she had a mission to complete."

"A mission?"

"Well, yes. She said she joined up with one of the other Death Eaters..."

"What exactly did she tell you?" Bill asked, moving towards her looking at her pleadingly.

The girl looked at him and nodded, "She said she had been kidnapped five months ago then. She had been thrown into the Dungeons and left there for about a months time. At first she took the food they offered her hoping you would soon come for her, but after about two weeks she stopped eating all together, hoping to die before the Dark Lord decided to have time for her. They tortured her for a long time without her revealing anything, until they threatened someone... Ummm... Her ex-boyfriend? I think she was still in love with him by the sounds of it, because even though she knew it was stupid, she gave into their demands and became a Death Eater to save him."

Ron stood up from his chair abruptly and started stalking up and down the floor, muttering something along the lines of how stupid she was and that he told her so.

Watching him carefully, the girl continued talking. "Soon after that another Death Eater came to her and and asked her to fight Vol-" Everyone jumped up and held the mouth of the girl shut.

"Don't say that name!" Hermione hissed, "They put an taboo on the name."

"Oh... Ok...Ummm... Well this other Death Eater came and asked her to destroy Him from the inside with her. She of course accepted. They gathered information, intercepted orders and tried to direct the path into a more peaceful way of solving conflicts.

"She couldn't tell you for some reason... So she tried to save you by making you believe that she had turned."

"And she told you all of that?" Harry asked, suspicious of her words.

The girl looked up at him and nodded.

Once again silence filled that room, until the old wand maker Olivander, the normally so peaceful and nice man began to talk. "Well, I honestly do not care what made her accept that stupid mark in first place. All I know for sure is that even if she started out her career with good intentions, she is now the daughter of the most ruthless wizard of all times. I have spend a lot of time with her in my time at that place. We had many conversations. Whatever she was before her memory loss, she isn't any more. She is a Death Eater through and through now and that is how you all should treat that despicable girl." With that the old man turned around and tried to get a bit more sleep in order to regain some of his energy.

The others just looked at each other for a second before looking at the floor once more, knowing that what the old man had said was true. The old Ash had been lost with her memories, now there was a Death Eater residing in her body.


	22. Chapter 22 - Flee

Ash scrunched up her face as rays of light hit her eyes in the darkness, ripping her out of her sleep. Grouchily she tried turning away from the light and hiding her face under the soft silken pillows underneath her head, but the damage was done, she was awake.

Peeved, Ash sighed and hit Draco who was lying next to her... or at least was supposed to. Frantically she slapped her hand up and down beside her, still not intending to open her eyes, but then she ripped out of the warm covers and peered next to her. Draco was gone.

In a surge of panic, Ash looked around the room, but nothing was moving, only the door was open a small crack - the source of the light. Draco had not left her side ever since Potter and his friends had escaped them, concerned about her. She had pretended that it annoyed her but after a while it had simply become a fact, a thing that was taken for granted... like the meat-lady at a grocery shop giving you a slice of ham when you are little.

Suddenly she scrunched up her eyes once again, but this time not from annoyance, but from a series of pictures rushing through her head.

_"Will you become a Death Eater?" a shadowy blur asked her once again his voice showing furry._

"Never!" she gasped once again and the blur had it.

"Bring in the boy!" he sneered at someone, in the corner of the room.

"Yes, master," the rat said and scrambled out of the room, coming back with Draco following him closely. Ash could make him out clear as day.

"You wanted to see me, my lord?" Draco asked with fear in his voice, all Ash could do was stare at him in confusion as the pain started to clear from her mind. Suddenly Ash saw Draco fall onto the ground screaming and withering in pain as Voldemort hit him with a spell.

"Stop it!" she screamed and scrambled over to the screaming Draco, sobbing, begging through her sobs, "Stop it! I'll do anything, just stop hurting him!"

"Anything you say?" the cold voice said, laughter surrounding his words.

Ash shook her head. She had been getting more and more of these images in her head, always coming at her like detonating bombs in a theme park.

"Draco?" she called out, but of course there was no answer. Running a hand through her hair, she decided to walk to the kitchen to get her headache medicine, she hadn't been to fond of the house elves ever since that fateful day.

Tiptoeing over the carpet floor, Ash slowly made her way out of the already open door and down the corridor. The hallway was lightened up by a group of candles floating just above her head, but as she turned the corner of the hallway, she stopped short. One of the door, down a few meters of her current position, was standing ajar. Everything was quiet in the house, except the two voices that echoed out of the room silently.

She didn't understand what they were saying, but her attention was grabbed when she identified Draco's voice as one of them. Making sure no one saw her, she creped towards the open door quietly, listening closely and stopping when she was able to understand the words that were spoken.

"- pain. I don't know what to do with her any more! I've tried everything. Ash is just behaving so unlike herself, " Draco's voice flew out of the door in frustration. Ash frowned at his words, what did he mean? Was she a pain for him?

"Draco, calm down. Tell me exactly what's happening?" Ash looked towards the door, she knew this voice... Draco was talking to Severus Snape about her! Why? He knew she didn't like that man!

_"Why did you show me this? Isn't it dangerous for you to do this?" _her voice screamed inside of her head, forcing her mind to wonder away from Draco's words to another vision in her head.

_"Very, but I believe I can trust you not to tell anyone," Snape said to her, his usual blank face staring down at her._

"But what it they torture it out of me?" she asked shaking.

Snape smiled, "The Dark Lord wont do that. Not if you agree to become a Death Eater."

"Never!" Ash snap again and got of the ground and tried to flee from Snape again, but he grabbed her wrist and, being much stronger then her, stopped her from retreating.

"Ash! Listen to me!"

"No! I will never become a Death Eater! Never! Never! Never!" she screamed at her former professor and tried to get away from him but his grasped remained firm.

"Listen to me!"

Ash stopped struggling under his grip and did as requested. "The Dark Lord wants to use you as bait for Potter. He believes that Potter will come and rescue you. He will want to keep you near, will want to make you into his most faithful pawn. Do it. Let it happen. Become a Death Eater and stay by his side, play the faithful pawn he wants you to be. You will be able to listen to all his conversations, he'll get you involved in his plans, hopefully ask for your advise. Be a spy for the order, Ash!"

"For the order?" Ash sneered, "why should I? What did they ever do for me?"

"Help Harry, if not the order," Snape said softly, "help Ron, help Ginny, help Hermione."

Ash bit her lip and stared at Snape. "Help Blaise," he added and made Ash stare at him with big eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Blaise heard about what happened from Harry. He and Tracy unofficially joined them in the quest of destroying the Dark Lord," Snape told her with a small smile.

"Blaise?" she muttered under her breath. Again that name. That name had come up in a couple of these visions, but never did she know who they were talking about! Who is this Blaise? Why would she ever agree to do something for him? What had he meant to her? Ash got her head out of her thoughts again and began eavesdropping on the others again.

Draco sighed, "Ever since that day that Potter escaped, she... she... seems so split. I'm unsure how to really describe it. I... I think seeing them and the torture after that... broke her," Draco admitted sadly.

"What do you mean?" concern laced Snape's words.

"I don't know... she's not focused any more, but allusive. Her mind just wondering about. The Dark Lord is also starting to see that, and I fear that he'll do something to her again."

"Allusive?"

There was a long break, Ash shuffled towards the door a bit more, peering through the crack between door and frame. There she saw Draco, standing and leaning against a leather chair in front of him. His hands tightly enclosed around the cover. From her perspective she couldn't see Snape, but she saw a outline on the wall behind Draco, flickering in the light of the flames.

"She seems fine and normal one moment, but then she suddenly stops everything she does and just... stares. And she stays that way for a few seconds or minutes until she suddenly seems to wake up again and is back to normal. We tried every medicine we know, but nothing seems to be helping her."

"Does she behave any different then normal?"

"Yeah, like I said she's unfocused and has these weird episodes."

"No, that's not what I mean!" Snape snapped furiously, "Does she behave like she knows!"

"You mean if her memories are coming back to her?" Draco asked in wonder, looking up at the invisible men, but then shook his head, "No, she didn't change her personality back to how it was before."

_Before?_ Ash wondered silently, before losing her focus once again.

_"Guys do you know what time it is?" she asked, looking up into the blinding sun._

"No, sorry don't have a watch on me," the girl next to her said and that dark skinned boy shook his head no.

"It's time to go for a swim!"

"What do you mean?" They started but where interrupted by Ash who jumped and grabbed onto their hands and started to run. Down the corridors they just came through and out of the building.

When they reached the lake Ash let go of their arms and took of her shoes and socks and jumped into the green blue lake. When she came out of the water again she looked up at the two still standing at the edge of the lake, looking at her as if she had grow three different heads.

"What are you waiting for?" she laughed and threw some water into their direction.

"Are you insane?" the boy asked still in shock at her just randomly jumping into the lake.

"Nope I'm spontaneous," she grinned. "Now come on in! It's nice and warm!"

"But we don't have a bathing suit or anything," the girl answered.

"So? I don't have one either! Come on! It's fun! And don't forget we're witches! We can always magic ourselves dry again!" Ash argued.

"No sorry, I won't go in that lake. I'm not that crazy."

Ash sighed an defeated sigh and started to come out of the water and climbed up the little levitation they stood on.

"I guess I'll have to force you guys to your luck," she said and pushed then into the lake before they could register what she said. Then she jumped right after them. When she came out of the water again she laughed at her two soaked friends, who in turn glared at her, as if they were about to murder her. If looks could kill she'd already be long dead and buried.

Then the two of them looked at each other and started to run through the water towards Ash, who in turn started to swim away from them in order to get somewhere safely away from them.

"You are so dead," she heard the girl shriek.

"Come on look at the bright side of life! You where allowed to do something new and exciting," she laughed back at her when the two of them caught her.

"We're soaked!" Tracy screamed.

"So? You're a witch use magic to dry up again!" Ash still laughed. "Just look at it as a new experience and an awesome new memory!"

The boy let go of her, to her disappointment and the girl stepped back, "A memory we will defiantly remember..."

"Yes exactly," Ash smiled.

"You know what would make this memory even better?" the girl asked and nodded at the boy who continued the speech, "Us dunking you under water for revenge." Ash became wide eyed and started to run away again but the two of them where faster and started to push her under water laughing.

When they let go of her Ash quickly looked at them and smiled. 

For a second she forgot where she was, in the long, barely lit corridor of the Malfoy Manor, and just swam in the memory of that sunny day. She had been like that? That happy-go-lucky girl? Were all these flashbacks real memories? Slowly tears started running out of her eyes, down her cheeks, past her lips and collecting at the tip of her jaw before falling onto her nightgown.

Suddenly a scraping sound interrupted her thoughts and made her focus on her surroundings once again.

Draco had just thrown the chair he had been leaning on down, so that it was now lying on its side. "I won't allow that! I will not allow you to go near her if you plan on doing something like that! She is only safe if her memories stay hidden forever and you know that!" he screamed at the potions teacher in front of him. Quickly Draco turned towards the door and stormed towards it.

Ash's eyes became wide, she didn't have enough time to hide or get away, but before her mind could decide on anything, she jumped onto her feet and ran back the way she had come from. She only slowed down when she was in their room and jumped onto the bed, trying to calm her breath before Draco came back.

Around ten minutes later Draco did just that. Not saying a word or making any kind of sound, she heard his snake form slither into the room and up one of the bed posts, before transforming back to his usual form and wrapping a hand around her waist.

Both of them stayed silent although they both knew the other was awake. Draco had smelled her scent all the way from the study to their room on his way back.

All of a sudden both of them gasped in pain as the marks on their forearms flamed into colour and summoned them to their master.

They lay still for another second not daring to move, but the pain got greater. Swallowing hard Ash was the first one to stir out of bed, not bothering to pretend to have been asleep. Draco followed her example and swiftly walked over to the closet and threw her a few clothes while grabbing his own. In only a few seconds time the two of them were fully dressed and ready to go. Not one word had been said between them.

Quickly Draco took Ash's hand and led her to the Balcony, the faster way to get into a disapparating position. With a nod he told Ash he was ready. She was the better apparator, if she took them they would be standing next to their master in just a moments time.

And before a second had passed, the two of them were squeezed into a compressed tube and stood next to the Dark Lord. Ash quickly glanced around, trying to find out where they were exactly. Large dark room, only faint lights around them. The floors and walls glistened in white marble. Gringotts.

Ash looked to her side and saw that the man she called father was in a fanatic state. His eyes wide and bloodshot in anger for being summoned to this place. A surprisingly large amount of Death Eaters were already standing in around them in a fearful half circle. In front of them a small ugly goblin crawled in the floor in fear.

Confused, she tried to grasp the situation. Death Eaters had been here already and had summoned the Dark Lord, who in return summoned her and Draco?

"My Lord?" she asked unsure, softly touching her fathers arm.

Voldemort looked over to her, "Do you know what this is about?" he asked her furiously.

"No, my Lord. I'm just as confused as you are," she said soothingly.

He turned away from her and demanded silence. At once everyone fell into silence. "What is this all about? Why did you summon me?"

All the witches and wizards that had gathered around them looked around in fear, one of them pushing a goblin into their mids. Ash watched as Voldemort sceptically raised an eyebrow, was this supposed to be a joke? The mighty Lord was supposed to talk to a goblin?

With a nod, he told her to speak for him, "What is this supposed to mean?" Ash said looking at the Death Eaters around her. They all shied away from her glance until one of them called out, trying to hide from her view.

"Someone broke into the vault and took something from it! Tell them you stupid goblin" she squeaked.

Ash was about to say something, but her the Dark Lord talked first, "What are you saying to me?" he said, his voice high and cold. Quickly Ash glanced up at the man and became wide eyes when she saw his eyes widen slightly and his pale paling even further then she would have imagined possible. His voice may not portray anything, but she saw that he was fearful of these news. The goblin trembled on the floor, eyes wide in terror. "Say it again!" the Dark Lord muttered, "Say it again."

"My Lord," the goblin stuttered, "My Lord, we tried to stop them. Imposters, my Lord, broke into the Lestranges vault."

"Imposters?" Voldemort said in furry, and Ash swiftly walked backwards, beckoning out of the eye line of her master and taking Draco with her. She knew that this voice was not a good sign. "What imposters? I thought Gringotts had methods to reveal imposters! Who were they?!"

"I-it was... the P-Potter boy and h-his two accomplices..."

Voldemorts body stiffened at the news, with fear blocking his voice he asked, "and they took?" in a very high pitched voice. "Tell me, what did they take?"

Ash paled as she heard the news, fearing what would come next. Her father had put his most treasured items into that vault, whatever would be missing would be terrible news.

_Ash was standing in front of Potter and his two friends and gave them a sad smile. "You're right... I shouldn't but I can't help it. He's never looked this sad, hopeless and confused. You might not have noticed, but he's changing, he's starting to lose himself. I know its wrong, but I can't just watch him die within." With a sigh, she glanced at Potter, the feeling towards him so familiar, like she was looking at a family member of sorts, "enough about that, first tell me what you and Dumbledore are up to."_

Harry nodded with a sigh. "Dumbledore told me you would ask. He gave me the O.K. to tell you," he said, but glanced at Hermione and Ron, so that they wouldn't interrupt him. "We're doing this since last year. He's telling me all he knows about Tom Riddle and how he's come to be Voldemort. His family life, how he grew up in an orphanage, his school life... everything."

"Why would you want to know all that? Isn't it enough to just kill him?" Ash interrupted.

"No. He's not so easy to kill... he's got something what is called a Horcrux. Ever heard of them?"

"Horcrux... no never, what is it?"

"From what we gathered, its an object that holds a fragment of its makers soul."

"His soul? That would mean that Voldemort split his soul... would it not? So he's only a fragment of his former human being..."

"Exactly."

"So... you have to destroy the Horcrux first?"

"Yes. We've already found and destroyed two of them but the others are still out there."

"Two of them? That means he has more then one."

"Six to be exact."

Ash's eyes widened. Fear took over her body as she heard the goblin squeal, "A small golden cup, my Lord."

And a scream of rage and denial escaped her fathers lips. His body posture showed that he was crazed, frenzied. Suddenly she saw her fathers new wand, the Elder wand, he had called it, slash through the air, emitting a green streak of lightning that hit the goblin. The goblin was dead. The group of Death Eater in front of them scattered away, terrified. Ash pushed Draco behind her protectively and apparated out of Gringotts, which was turning into a little massacre at her fathers will. Those who did not escape in time would be dead soon.

Ash felt her body press into the tight tube for a much longer time that she had expected. She was unsure where she had sent the two of them too. After being squished and deformed for what seemed like forever, they finally set free again. With a soft plop they landed on soft grass.

Eyes wide in panic, Draco looked over at Ash. "What was that?" he asked, fear in his voice.

"Potter and his friends took something very important... something that could kill the Lord," Ash answered, panting softly.

Draco didn't say something for a long time, "You think my parents made it out in time?"

Ash looked up at him, "I'm sure of it. They always are the first ones to run."

Draco glanced at her, for a second she saw furry in his eyes because she said something mean about his parents, but it changed as soon as he saw that she was concerned as well. Black humour was her way of getting past that. "Where are we anyway?" he asked looking around.

"I have no idea," she answered truthfully looking around. Her eyes stopped when she looked at two grave stones behind her.

_**Katharina Weasley  
geb. 9.10.1950  
† 22.03.1998**_

David Weasley  
geb. 25.12.1946  
† 22.03.1998

Ihr sein für das Wichtigste gestorben.

"You died for the most important?" Ash muttered to herself, feeling Draco move up to her.

Suddenly her mind drifted away again.

_Laughter filled the air, she looked to the side and saw a red haired man holding a beautiful blond women in his hands. She was laughing full heartedly as she looked over at her. Still laughing, she raised one of her hands and waved at her, "Komm zu uns, Prinzessin." [Come to us, princess] Smiling widely she felt her small self run up to them with a grin._

__  
The scene changed._ She was now sitting next to the two of them, the man's arm wrapped around her shoulders as she leaned into him, her eyes closing a bit in comfort. The women was softly stroking her legs singing a lullaby to her._

__

"Mami! Mami! Ich hab ihn gekriegt! Ich hab meinen Brief bekommen! Ich werd jetzt eine richtige Hexe!" Ash called out happily and the blond women grinned at her from ear to ear. [Mom! Mom! I got it! I got my letter! I will be a real witch now]

"Herzlichen Glückwunsch, mein Engel! Ich bin so unglaublich stolz auf dich!" the women... her mom said lovingly, hugging her tightly and swinging her into the air where she giggled in delight. [Congratulation, my angel! I am unbelievably proud of you!]

The man from before came into the room, wondering what the commotion was about.

"Papi! Papi! Mein Brief ist hier! Ich darf jetzt auf nach Schwarzwalderkirch!" her ... father grinned at her in delight and went over to hug his to girl tightly. [Daddy! Daddy! My letter is here! I can go to Scharzwalderkirch!]

"Papa! Du zerdrückst mich!" she squealed at the tight embrace. [Dad! You squishing me!]  


Ash bowed her head and let her hand brush over the two graves before her.

"Ash? What is it?" she heard Draco ask behind her.

But before she could answer, they once again felt the mark on their left forearm burn. "Lets go," was the only answer he got. Swiftly she took a hold of his hand and together they apparated home, where Voldemort and the rest of his army gathered.


	23. Chapter 23 - Ready, Set

Ash appeared before her father only a few minutes after she had received his call. Draco was with her at all times. The two of them, still a bit scared of his furious outrage at Gringgotts only a few hours ago, went to their knees instinctively, bowing their heads in obedience.

"You were out there very quick, daughter," the man in front of her sneered.

"I didn't want to get hurt for the stupidity of others, my lord," she answered, her eyes looking up at him solemnly.

She saw a little bit of annoyance in his eyes. He would have liked to have hurt her there, he always had liked seeing her in pain. After a few moments of contemplating silence he began talking once again. "I will be gone for a few hours. I need to... check on something. I need you to gather everyone on the meantime. Get everyone here and prepare to depart quickly, I predict that we're going to fight. Also, I need you to contact Snape and your little group at Hogwarts. Potter will most likely go there next. I believe he will be going to the Ravenclaw Tower - intercept him there! Catch him and call for me when you have him!" he ordered in a hiss.

Ash nodded that she understood, but she wondered about one thing he said, but it wasn't her that spoke but Draco. "My Lord? If I may ask why would Potter go to the Ravenclaw Tower? He's a Gryffindor, is he not?"

"That is nothing you have to concern yourself with," he said in a sneer as he turned around. It took only moments before she saw him rise into the air and fly into the sky.

Looking back at Draco, the two of them looked at each other in wondering. "I guess the war is near..." Ash muttered sourly as Draco wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.

"Seems so, doesn't it..."

It didn't take long for Ash to summon all the Death Eaters in England. It did however take a while for them to all actually appear before her. Thankfully she gave Draco the job of contacting the Death Eaters in Hogwarts, making sure they knew Potter would be coming.

"Death Eaters!" she yelled over the chitter chatter of her fathers faithful pawns. Silence ran through the crowd. "The time is near! We know what Potters next move will be and we are prepared to stop him," she started, knowing they needed a few answers, otherwise they would be unwilling to fight and risk their lives. "Today we will fight for the sake of us pure-bloods and we will eliminate all that stand between us and utopia!"

A cheer echoed through the crowd of cloaked and masked witches and wizards.

Ash nodded with a smirk and looked at Draco who had joined her in the middle of the speech.

"They know," he whispered in her ear and Ash nodded.

"Alright, all we need to do now is wait for... father... to come back or summon us to Hogwarts," she muttered. Somehow it felt hard to call the Dark Lord father after the confusing vision she had had at the graveyard before. Had they been her parents? Her foster parents? Why would he ever let Wealsey's foster her. It just couldn't be true. They had to have been her real parents... but then why would Voldemort claim to be her father? It was all just too confusing. Most of her memory was still missing and it seemed to be exactly those missing pieces that she needed to figure everything out. But for now, she knew just what she had to do.

Only because her past was unclear and because Voldemort wasn't necessarily her real father, didn't mean that what she had believed in those last couple of months was bullocks.

She was still the heir to his throne and still a proud Death Eater that most looked up to.

If the war was about to start, she would stand her ground and fight for what she believed in.

Suddenly she felt her mark prickle - they had Potter. The other Death Eaters looked up at her for guidance and felt a kind of victory when they saw her grinning. "Get yourselves ready! We are about to make our move!" she called out. Now all she needed was the sign from the Dark Lord in order to make her move.

It didn't take long and a sign came, although not what she had been hoping for. "Ash," an emotionless voice called out to her, and she turned to look at it. Snape was hurriedly walking up to her.

"What are you doing here?" she spat, surprised to see him.

"Harry is in the castle, but not under our custody. McGonagall is helping him they started to get ready for a counter attack if we start one!" he explained to her.

Ash took a deep breath. "Death Eaters! We are departing! All of you apparate to the spot in the forbidden forest! Our Lord will meet us there!" she screamed and everyone set into motion.

Taking out her wand, she sent the message of their early departure and the news to Voldemort before apparating to the others herself.

When she appeared before them, she looked around. So this was Hogwarts, she thought. It truly is beautiful. She could remember so many small parts of it. The green lit Slytherin common room, the cool water of the lake, one or two of the classrooms, but the beauty of the whole had never come back to her.

A shiver ran through the huge amount of Death Eaters in front of her. Voldemort had arrived.

Quickly she made her way over to the tall figure of her so-called father and bowed to him. "Father, everything is ready to go. But Snape came to us. They know we are coming and are preparing to fight. I believe they will try to find some way out of the castle to evacuate the younger students, but if -"

A wave of his stopped her speech short, "I know all of this already. There wont just be the students, but they will definitely have the whole resistance fighting us as well."

Ash bowed her head in agreement.

"Do you want us to stop the children?" another Death Eater asked, she had forgotten his name, but he always seemed to ask stupid questions.

Voldemort sighed, "No, let them escape, it would be a loss if we lost to much of their blood, they could become good Death Eaters one day for all we know. The real threat are those who stay behind to fight."

"When we attack them, we wont let any of them survive, my Lord," Ash interjected and Voldemort smiled his thin lipped smile.

"Good girl," he praised her with a pat on the head, like anyone would praise a dog... "Now get everyone ready, I want you to lead them into battle, my dear."

"What will you do, my Lord?"

"I will go to the Shrieking Shack," Voldemort said absent mindedly.

"You won't fight?" Ash asked a bit taken a back.

"Not yet, no."

"What about Harry Potter?"

"He will find me, I know he will."

Ash didn't say anything for a short minute before she smiled, "I understand." With that she turned around and started walking away, the other Death Eaters very confused at their masters words followed her quietly.

Before she could go very far, Voldemort called out to her again, "Oh and Ash send for Draco, Goyle and Crabbe. I have a little side job for them."

Ash turned around, took a deep bow and continued her way into the mids of the Death Eaters.

"Ash!" one of the Death Eaters following her said, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder, "What is that supposed to mean? He wants us to fight and die, but he wont join us?" the Death Eater had panic in his eyes as he looked at her.

Ash glared at the Death Eater in front of her and spat at him. "Do you, a cowardly excuse of a wizard, really want to question the Dark Lords decision?" she hissed, pulling out her wand and holding it under the Death Eaters throat.

"No!" he gasped in fear, "no! I was just wondering!" he said pleadingly, hoping for mercy. But he should have known, like her Lord, she didn't show any mercy. With a flick of her wrist, he fell onto the ground and roared in pain.

Looking at the other Death Eaters she explained, "He knows Potter will come to him. He wont stand knowing that his friends are all dying because of him," she answered smugly. The Death Eater nodded in false understanding and followed her quietly.

After a couple of steps she told them to swarm out, tell the others that they would be attacking in an hours time and that they should all prepare. "Also, don't forget to remind them that Potter is for the Lord alone! No one is to kill him! Do you understand?" she said, throwing a threatening glance around her little group, they all nodded solemnly and departed.

She on the other hand headed towards the Malfoy's. "Draco!" she called out when she was in hearing reach.

Draco turned around and smiled at her, greeting her with a soft kiss when she reached him. "The Dark Lord wants to see you, Crabbe and Goyle," she told him quietly.

"Why?" Draco asked, biting his lower lip. For a while now Crabbe and Goyle had been acting strange around him. He never told her but most of the teenagers that followed Ash's every command started to despise him, her favouring him - including Crabbe and Goyle.

"I don't know, but be sure to not make them do anything reckless like killing Potter," she smiled at him and watched him retreat.

Intrigued as to what they were supposed to do, Ash wondered if she should walk up as well and listen in, but warning look form her father stopped her before she came near enough. The briefing didn't take long and the three Death Eaters nodded with grim faces before scattering away and leaving in the direction of the castle.

"What are they doing?" she asked walking up to her master.

"A little errand for me," he muttered coldly, "Nothing you have to worry yourself with."

Ash watched Draco's back until he was fully vanished then nodded. "We are prepared my Lord," she said facing him again.

"Good," he said and raised his wand towards his throat - he was about to speak to them all.

His voice was cold and clear as he began, "I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile, you can not fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts, I do not want to spill magic blood," he stopped for the dramatical effect - you would never have guessed but Ash was sure he would have been a actor if the life as dictator hadn't called out for him. "Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The crowds of Death Eaters applauded, but Voldemort just turned to look at Ash. "I leave everything to you from here," he told her - knowing that they would never hand over Potter. With a low bow Ash turned to look at the mass of Death Eaters and other followers - such as the werewolves to one side of her - and grinned. In just an hour the fun was about to begin.


	24. Chapter 24 - Go

Spells shot past her as she shot spell after spell herself. About half an hour ago the hour they had given them had ended and Ash had led the Death Eaters into battle - Snape on one side, Bellatrix on the other.

She had ordered a group to attack form the west. Another, bigger group was supposed to attack from the north and she led the largest group from the south, where the main battle ground would be.

The resistance had been surprisingly good. She had nearly been stung by a stunning spell a couple of times, but the ruthlessness of the Death Eaters was prevailing.

They didn't care if they were attacking students, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. They didn't care if they killed, hurt or cursed them. All they cared about was that these people were their enemies that had to be eliminated.

"Stupefy!" Ash screamed and hit some blond haired girl wearing a white night gown in the chest.

"Glacious!" she called again and this time hit a raven haired boy with striped pyjamas, freezing him into a ice statue.

"You would have thought that they would have at least put some clothes on!" Ash called out to Daphne Greengrass who was - also - trying not to hurt any of these people to bad.

Daphne laughed at her words, "Or at least put on something good looking! Imagine dying in that!" she added and flung a stunning spell at a student that was wearing a fluffy yellow morning gown.

"Stop your talking!" Bellatrix fumed at them. "If you guys go on throwing around these weak spell we will never win this fight!" she growled, looking pointedly at Ash.

"I'm still in charge here, Bella!" she answered, her voice threatening.

"Only because the Lord has some kind of weird fable for you, doesn't mean you can not fight seriously!" Bella said back while continuing to shoot some nasty hexes at the students.

Screaming in fury, Ash dashed forward and raced through the Hogwarts defences, flicking away a suit of armour here and there and casting herself and Daphne a way inside the castle.

"Crucio!" she screamed when a older man stood in front of her, blocking her way. She had no complaints about attacking people older then her. "Immobulus!" another student fell down motionlessly.

Up the stairs they ran. "Ash! Where do you plan on going?" Daphne called after her. Ash looked back. A few flights down she saw that many of the other Death Eaters had managed to get into the castle as well.

"No where specific, but I have a feeling I could find Potter on the fifth floor somewhere," she answered, swinging her wand at another student that encountered them.

"But we're not supposed to go after him!"

"Dad will still be proud if we get him!" Ash returned the argument and on and on they fought their way up the staircase, only to find themselves stuck on the third floor, where some poltergeist attacked them with super glue until a group of very skilled witches and wizards came to fight them off.

"Crucio!" one of them yelled and a green light struck Ash hard. Gasping in pain, she felt herself fall to the ground, but she had suffered through too many crucio's as to black out by the excruciating pain.

Gasping for air, she grabbed her wand tighter and yelled "Avada Kadevera" hitting the unknown caster in the chest. The pain stopped abruptly as the other fell down dead. Quickly she scrambled up again, and was thankful for the others that finally made it up the staircase and help them fight off the Hogwartians.

After a long fight with a girl that looked asian, she was finally able to stun the girl and ran up another flight of stairs. But this time instead of running up even further, she ran left down a corridor, thinking she had just seen something familiar over there. When she reached the end of the corridor, she spied around the edge.

There he was! Harry Potter and his friends, plus three other red haired people, fighting off a couple of Death Eaters that made it there before her, but the Death Eaters were fighting a losing battle in there. Soon she saw them go down and watched as the group of six celebrated. She didn't know why, but she couldn't get herself to attack them.

Suddenly there was an explosion from somewhere she couldn't see and Ash could just rip herself away from the sight in time.

When she dared to look around the corner again, Ash saw one of the red haired people down on the floor, unmoving. Two others had fallen onto their knees and were crying over their dead friend... or family member while Potter, his little girlfriend and another red haired - the one that looked exactly like the dead one - just stared at the scene in shock, tears flowing freely.

Ash heard footsteps from another corridor as they ran away from the scene. The others tried to get the boy holding the other to move, get to safety, but the boy didn't listen. Finally one of them managed to get the other boy to move and help them move the corpse into a niche on the wall, safe from the war around it.

Gradually they hurried away, leaving the body and their unknown watcher behind.

Looking around herself carefully, Ash walked down the hallway towards the unmoving boy, crouching down in front of him.

Swallowing hard, Ash lifted up his head to look into his unmoving and lifeless eyes...

_"Fred! George! Ron's being mean to me again!" her younger self cried, running up to a smaller and more alive version of the boy in front of her a second ago._

The twins looked down at her and shook their head in disappointment. "Why are you telling us about that?"

"Make him stop!" Ash said pouting.

"Find your own way of stopping him," they insisted.

"But..."

"But what?"

Ash scrawled, "For my plan I need magic, but I'm not allowed to use any yet!"

Fred and George looked at each other carefully. "You know there are a lot of way to play pranks on someone without magic," one of them told her.

"Muggles do it all the time! You should never forget that muggle tricks are a very important thing to know," the other added.

"Even if their a bit slow," both laughed in unison. 

A single tear run down her cheek. She had known this boy. She had grown up with him. Letting her head fall onto his limp shoulder, she cried freely. At the pain of knowing she had lost someone who had played an important role in her life, at the pain of knowing he had meant something to her but not knowing what he had been exactly, at the pain of this confusion that rampaged her brain so furiously, so many times.

She was ripped out of her sorrow, when she heard a familiar voice boom out of nowhere and everywhere.

"If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one," Voldemorts voice thundered around her loud, emotionless and clear. "I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste... I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour... I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you... I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Brushing her useless tear away furiously, she grabbed her wand tightly and walked to the nearest window. There she jumped onto the ledge and muttered a short spell that her so-called father had taught her. Seconds later she soared through the sky, watching many of the other Death Eaters run back to the forest under Voldemorts command.


	25. Chapter 25 - Turning Point

When Ash landed, she saw that the Death Eaters had surprisingly many casualties, but nothing that would really affect the outcome of this battle. On one side stood Voldemort with Nagini floating in a glittering protective sphere. Other Death Eaters were cleaning a couple of injuries. Anyone badly injured had been left behind. A bit off the side, she could make out that too big fellow that she recognized at the gatekeeper bound to a tree.

"Ash!" someone called from behind her.

Ash turned to see Draco coming up to her. His face was dirty from dirt and ash, and his clothing had been ripped a bit. A frown appeared on her face, "Draco! What happened to you? Were you caught in a fiend fire or something?" she said surprised, walking up to him and checking him out, trying to see if he was injured anywhere.

Draco pushed her away, put held onto her arms. "I'm OK," he assured her, "You don't have to mother me, I have my own to do that."

Surprised at his words, Ash took a step back, "Oh, I'm sorry I offended you by caring," she gasped and shook her head offended.

"No! No, that's not what I mean!" Draco said quickly, tightening his hold on her so that she wouldn't go away. He sighed, "Crabbe and Goyle are idiots, that's all."

Ash laughed, "But you already knew that!" she whispered, closing in on him again and wrapping her arms around her waist, pulling him towards her and going up onto the tip of her toes, giving him a kiss.

She stopped, when she felt eyes burning into her head. Quickly she stepped back and turned around. Voldemort was looking at her. His red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He flicked his hand. Ash followed his command, grabbing onto Draco's wrist and walking up to him with quick purposeful strides.

"Father?" she asked, nodding her head at him.

"I have a feeling that Potter will soon be here. I want you by my side when he arrives," he said coldly and Ash nodded her head again.

Once she had settled beside him, the Death Eaters around them became eerily quiet. The only sound was the soft whimpering of the wounded as their minor wounds were healed, the warm bristling sound of fire that stood in the centre of the clearing and the wind that whistled through the enchanted trees.

Ash felt two large hands snake around her waist, and looked up to see Draco holding her closely. The flickering flames painting his face in a graceful red. "How long do you think he will take?" she whispered, leaning into his touch.

"From how I know him he'll make a dramatic last minute entrance," Draco breathed, rolling his eyes a bit.

Ash chuckled at his words. "Ah, that would be annoying, we have to stand here for the rest of the hour... Although it is quite comfortable I must admit," she beamed.

After about an 55 minutes of waiting, Ash nearly had enough. "Dolohov! Go, take Yaxley and check the surroundings!" she bellowed.

Voldemort watched their hurried departure carefully, "He will come," he said looking down at Ash.

"I know, my Lord, but I thought we might help him find us. I know they won't find him, he'll be under his invisibility cloak again, but if he sees them walk past him, he knows to follow their lead," she explained.

Voldemort nodded and let his hands enclose over the Elder Wand looking down into the flames before him.

It didn't take long before the two Death Eaters rejoined them. "No sign of him," Yaxley said when he stood in front of Voldemort, who seemed to look right through him. Slowly he drew the Elder Wand through his fingers.

"My Lord?" Bellatrix was speaking now, but Voldemort only raised his hand to silence her.

"I thought he would come. I expected him to come," Voldemort said in his high pitched voice and looked back at the flames. "I was I guess -" he continued, but Ash interrupted him.

"My Lord," she said.

"What?" he snapped, looking at her, but instead of speaking again she only nodded her head into the direction of the clearings edge where a ruffed up, pale and scared looking Harry stood.

"You weren't!" he said loud and forcefully making all the Death Eaters eyes snap up to him. All of them rose at once. The giants roared and from her right she heard laughter.

Strong stepped, Harry walked up to them.

"Harry! Harry no!" the bound gatekeeper yelled from his tree. "What are you doing here?" he asked loudly, and Ash flicked her wand, silencing him.

"Harry Potter," her father said at her side softly, a small smile playing on his lips. "The boy who lived."

No one moved. Potter was just standing there, his wand still tucked away, not betraying any sign of fear or hate. His eyes just wandering off into the distance just before her father raised his wand and softly, so only she could hear, "Avada Kedavara."

Green light shot out of her wand and hit Harry in the chest.

Harry's eyes went wide for a second and then he fell onto his knees in a soft thud and on to the ground, hitting the leaves and dirt below him. His face falling directly into the ground, mouth open eyes closing, forbidding them to see his empty eyes.

_Ash was floating in darkness. She could see nothing except darkness around her. Yet there as an image that started to form around her as she floated._

When the image was fully visible she found herself stuck in a closet. All around her were coats hanging of hangers making it hard for her to move around, also there was only one light source, a small crack in the doors that allowed a small amount of fire light to pass through.

Suddenly she heard a strange noise from the other side of the closet doors, it sounded as if somebody had just forcefully opened an door. Slowly Ash leaned forward in the hope that she could see what was happening out there.

With one eye pressed against to crack she got a small view of a firelight lit room with black leather seats set up in front of it. Next to one of the seats she saw a red haired man in his mid 40's stand, wand pointing in front of him and shaking.

"What do you want?" he asked with a shaking voice, she could see how the sweat was running down his face and how he was shaking from fear.

A low chuckle sounded from the other end of the room, which she couldn't see. "What I want? I want to invite you into joining our cause," answered a cold voice that didn't seem to carry any emotions, Ash shivered listening to it.

"And become a Death Eater? Never!" the red haired man spat out.

"Then you leave me no choice," said the other voice. "Avada Kedavara!" She saw a bright green light flash out of nowhere hitting the red haired man square in the chest.

"DADDY!" she cried out loud, tears spilling out of her eyes and blurring her vision.

"My Lord," she heard a voice pray a few meters next to her. "My Lord"

A hand was shaking her roughly. "Ash! Snap out of it!" Draco's voice hushed into her ears sharply. Quickly she looked around herself. Voldemort was lying on the ground next to her. Bellatrix beside him, brushing over his pale cheeks like she would a lover.

"That's enough now!" the Dark Lord snapped, making the others around them move back. It seemed he had lost conciousness for a bit there, but Ash couldn't be sure, not having been in her own mind either.

"My Lord," Bellatrix started again, trying to help him up.

"I do not need assistance," he snapped and got back onto his feet. "The boy! Is he dead? You! Examine him! Tell me whether he is dead!" she suddenly heard a bellow from the side. Shaking she looked over at the source of the voice.

Ash looked at him and hurried over to the unmoving body. Just before she reached it, she slowed down and took a shaky breath, a tear had sprung into her eyes and was now slowly rolling down her cheek.

Carefully she let herself fall onto her knees and brushed the brown hair of the boy from his face, softly she moved his fragile head sideways and opened up one of his eyes. Then she let one of her hands slip under his shirt and creep up his chest, feeling for a heartbeat.

BaBum, BaBum, BaBum... under her hand she could feel the steady beating of his heart.

She stifled a sob, "Harry, I'm sorry. I... I know what I did was unforgivable... I still don't know everything... But I hope that one day, you might forgive me," she whispered near to inaudiable. Her body was shielding his face from any onlookers and her eyes looked down on him in dear desperation.

"One day... who knows," he breathed back to her, allowing her heart to skip a beat.

"He is dead!" she called out, straightening up once more.

Behind her she could hear cheers erupt from the Death Eaters. She could heard them yell celebration chants and saw the trees in front of her reflect wondrous lights. Some clapped their hands in joy and stomped their feet, but she didn't move. Silent tears were running down her cheeks.

Two hands took hold of her shoulders, squeezing tightly, pulling her away from the body. "I'm sorry," she said again as she heard Voldemort speak once again.

"You see! Harry Potter is dead by my hand! And no man alive can threaten me now! Crucio!" he screamed and a beam of blue light hit the unmoving, defenceless body of Harry Potter - the one everyone thought to be dead.

Fear rose up in her throat for a second, but he seemed to have been suspecting the humiliation and managed to keep from moving, even in what had to be agonizing pain. Up into the air he flew, down onto the floor he fell again, the cycle repeating itself again and again and again, keeping himself perfectly limb. Had she maybe not heard his voice? Had she imagined his heartbeats?

"Now we go to the castle and show them what became of their hero! Who shall drag the body?" Laughter rushed through the Death Eaters, many volunteering. "No wait!" Voldemort said, getting a better idea, "You will carry him! He shall be nice and visible in your hands, wont he not Hagrid?"

Hagrid was forced over to them, Ash's eyes only leaving the limp body when Hagrid's sobbing figure went to the ground and picked him up delicately.

"And the glasses! Put on the glasses! He must be recognizable!" Voldemort said with glee.

Ash hurried forward and picked them up carefully, wiping off the mud that had enclosed around them carefully. Swiftly she walked up to Harry who was now lying in Hagrids arms and put them on, careful to not poke or hurt him in any way. "Hagrid, be careful with him, please," she breathed, but feared that the crying half-giant might not have heard him.

"Move!" said Voldemort, making Hagrid stumble forward, forcing his way through the thick branches of the trees surrounding him. Walking behind Hagrid, Ash wanted nothing more then pretend that all this wasn't happening, wanted to crawl into a corner and cry.

Yes, Harry wasn't dead. But she had finally remembered a large and important part of her life, found out that the life she had been living had been a lie all the time.

Voldemorts arm suddenly wrapped around her slumped shoulders. "Why are you looking so depressed? You should be happy! Our objectives will finally come true, daughter! We will finally free ourselves from these chains!"

Ash swallowed hard before grinning and looking up at the man she called father. "I- I guess I just cant really comprehend it yet, daddy. It's just such a big dream come true!" she said out of clenched teeth, but he seemed to not notice the falseness of her words.

"Yes, yes, I know what you mean. Finally nothing stands in our way any more!"

On and on they marched through the undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest. Behind them the giants, making her spine tingle with every step. Voldemorts arms still wrapped around her shoulders and a sly grin on his face. Her face was mirroring his, only did it not entertain any genuine feelings.

With careful eyes she watched Hagrids broad back as he shuffled along before them.

Suddenly he called out, "Bane! Are you happy now, are you? That you didn't fight, you cowardly bunch of hags? Are you happy now that Harry Pot-t-ter is de-dea-d" his voice broke into sobs again, and Ash looked to her left.

A horde of centaurs stood a little further up a hill, looking down at them in sorrowful eyes. But they didn't say a word, nor did they move a muscle. Had they maybe read the stars and knew what was happening? Ash didn't know, she didn't dare think about it with Voldemort so near.

Finally they reached the end of the forest and a chill ran over her body as she noticed the domentors floating above them. Quickly she shut off her fear, but she needed worry, they never came anywhere near Voldemort. When they stepped outside the edge of the forest, the Dark Lord commanded "Stop."

Carefully he lead her to stand in front of Hagrid, pulling out his wand and started speaking in his amplified voice once again.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body, as prove that your hero is gone!" he shouted, his voice booming from every side, "The battle is won, you have lost half of your fighters, my Death Eaters outnumber you, and the boy who lived are finished. There must be no more war. Anyone that continues to resist, man women or child will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now! Kneel before me and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Ash shuddered at his speech. She knew Harry wasn't as dead as the pale man thought he was, but listening to his cold and lying words stabbed her in the back. Killed when he was trying to save himself? Harry was no spineless coward like all these people around her in their silver masks, he was the bravest person she had ever encountered. But gritting her teeth she kept her mouth shut.

"Come," Voldemort said and started striding once again. His every step shouting pride and arrogance. Around his shoulder now lay Nagini, free from her enchanted cage. Voldemort didn't fear for her life any more, he didn't believe in any kind of resistance.

_Harry stood in front of her, nodding with a sigh. "Dumbledore told me you would ask. He gave me the O.K. to tell you," he said, glancing at Hermione and Ron, so that they wouldn't interrupt him. "We're doing this since last year. He's telling me all he knows about Tom Riddle and how he's come to be Voldemort. His family life, how he grew up in an orphanage, his school life... everything."_

"Why would you want to know all that? Isn't it enough to just kill him?" Ash interrupted.

"No. He's not so easy to kill... he's got something what is called a Horcrux. Ever heard of them?"

"Horcrux... no never, what is it?"

"From what we gathered, its an object that holds a fragment of its makers soul."

"His soul? That would mean that Voldemort split his soul... would it not? So he's only a fragment of his former human being..."

"Exactly."

"So... you have to destroy the Horcrux first?"

"Yes. We've already found and destroyed two of them but the others are still out there."

"Two of them? That means he has more then one."

"Six to be exact."

"He shattered his soul into six parts? No wonder he's such a poor excuse for a human being." Ash said softly. "How are they made?"

"Murder and the wizard placing a part of the soul into the object desired."

Ash coughed a bit and looked at Harry in a sad way. "And all of them need to be destroyed?"

"Yes, we're searching all over the place for the others, but - "

"And who will destroy you?" Ash asked bluntly.

"What do you mean?" he asked her truthful confusion in his face.

Ash hitched a breath as she continued staring at the man and his snake. Was that the reason for Harry's sacrifice? Had Voldemort been so anal about Nagini's safety due to that fact? Wonderingly she played with the wand in her hands. He had his back turned on her... he would never be able to save that wrenched snake if she...

"Ash," a hand flew over hers, enprisoning her wand hand. Next to her stood Draco. "Can... can you believe this? The Dark Lord finally won," he said with a small - surprisingly weak smile.

Ash mirrored his smile, "You should never celebrate to early," she muttered under her breath, her eyes once again transfixed on the snake. But with Draco next to her she couldn't do anything without endangering him as well. And his hand was still tightly enclosed over hers stopping her from doing the necessary moves.

Gradually they were approaching the castle and when Voldemort commanded they'd halt, the Death Eaters spread out in a line. Bellatrix and herself next to Voldemort, Draco still holding her hand next to her and Nagini still wrapping herself tightly around its master. Behind her she could still hear Hagrids soft whimpers.

"No!" came the first quaking sounds from the castle as the resistance saw Harry lying in Hagrids arms.

Rapidly the entrance hall filled up with people, all shocked at the sight. There she spotted the red haired boy and the shaggy haired girl gaping at them, "No!" Ron and Hermione screamed, "It can't be! Harry!"

Their calls of despair triggered the rest of the crowd to scream abuses and pain at them.

"Silence!" Voldemort commanded and everyone fell quiet again. "It is over! Set him down Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs." Hagrid got pushed forward and softly set the limp body where Voldemort was pointing, she could see the pain and tears in her eyes, making tears rise inside her own eyes. "You see? Harry Potter is dead. Do you understand now, you deluded ones? He was nothing! Never! But a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him."

"He beat you!" Ron suddenly yelled out of the ground and the charm broke, the fighters for Hogwarts were screaming and shouting at them again.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds! Killed while trying to save himself," he said, lying gleefully. Ash ripped her hands out of Draco's, her wand in her hands tightly, quickly she forced her hand up and pointed it at Voldemort, but a movement in the ground distracted her. One of the boys - a boy she had come to recognize as Neville Longbutton, one of the boys that had held the resistance alive in Hogwarts - charged out of the crowed and towards Voldemort with a raised wand. One flick of his wrist and the boy landed before him, unarmed.

"And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?" Voldemort asked in a snake-like whisper that floated around the castle grounds.

Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh, "That is Longbutton my Lord, the boy who has been given the Carrows so much trouble, the son of the Aurors. Remember?"

"Ah, yes I do remember!" Voldemort said surprisingly cheerful as he watched the boy struggle up again, wand less. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you my brave boy?"

"So what if I am?" Neville cried loudly.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come from a very honourable stock. You would make a great Death Eater, we need your kind, Neville Longbutton."

Neville spat onto the ground at the proposal, "I will join the Death Eaters when hell freezes over!" he shouted. "Dumbledore's Army!" the crowd of resisters answered with loud cheers.

"Very well," he said silkily, "If that is your choice Longbutton we revert to the original plan, on your head be it."

Her wand was still raised, but it didn't point at Voldemort directly any more. She had decided to only take action when all other hope was lost. Neville still stood a chance. She believed that Harry maybe told him about the Horcruxes himself.

Carefully she watched Voldemort raise his wand. She readied herself to attack. But his flick of his wrist didn't attack Neville, no it was pointed at one of the lower towers. A object flying out of one of the numerous broken windows.

The Sorting Hat.

Another flick of his wrist and Neville became very still. "There will be no more sorting at Hogwarts school. There will be no more houses. The emblem shield and colours of my noble ancestor Salasar Slytherin will suffice for everyone, wont they, Neville Longbutton?" he asked and walked up to him, and with one fluent movement forced the hat over his face, down below his eyes.

Ash saw the other Death Eaters raise their wands as one. A shiver of fear ran down her spine. "Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," he called out and with a flicker of his wand, he made the hat burst into flames.

Wide eyed Ash froze in shock, but soon overcame her fear. Swiftly she took in everything that was happening. Harry couldn't stand it any more, he ripped himself from the ground, pulling out his wand and cape. He threw the cape over himself and only a small beam of light showed that he had pointed his wand at Neville and distinguished the flames that were attacking his friend. The resistance screamed loud cries of war and raced towards them. The giants from both sides ran at each others with booming screams, arrows came flying towards them from the forbidden forest.

Seizing her chance, Ash ignored the threatening death by arrow and Death Eater and turned her wand on Voldemort, muttering "Avada Kedavara." A green light streamed out of her wand and hit the target. The large snake uncoiled from her fathers shoulder and fell onto the floor dead.


	26. Chapter 26 - A Twisted Fate

Everything seemed to freeze as soon as the snake hit the ground. Voldemort's roar echoed in her ears and she watched him spin around with graceful agility.

"You!" he bellowed, his eyes becoming wide and even the last dot of colour leaving his face. "You!" he screamed even louder and moved his wand so that it was pointing at her. But when he shot off his spell - to fast for her to be able to defend herself, - a magical barrier had constructed itself around her, saving her from this sure death.

Then Hagrids voice boomed out of no where for everyone to hear, "Harry!" he shouted, "Harry! Where's Harry?"

Chaos reigned over them. The centaurs were charging towards them scattering the now uncoordinated mass of Death Eaters. Nearer and nearer came the reinforcements that came from seemingly everywhere, forcing the fighting witches and wizard back into the castle grounds. Great creatures with large wings where attacking Voldemorts giants with high-pitched shrieks of rage.

At Hagrids voice, Voldemort had become distracted from her and had let her out of his sight. Seizing the moment, she had grabbed onto Neville's arm, pulling him to his feet and dragged him along with her, away from the furious Voldemort.

"Find him! Find Potter!" Voldemort screamed in outrage. "And bring me Ash! Rather dead than alive!" She was now a moving target for every Death Eater on the battlefield. Quickly she shoved Neville away, somewhere where he could rest for a bit and then join the party if he wanted to, while raising her wand and sending counter curses one after the other.

Suddenly she felt someone shove into her from behind. Quickly she turned around to face the brown skinned boy from her visions. His chocolate brown eyes piercing into her own.

_The boy waiting for her when she just talked to Ginny, leaning gracfully against a wall, stifling a small yawn._

__

Suddenly she felt as if she were suffocating and started to hyperventilate. "Need... air!" she panted and started stumbling towards the dungeons exit. Quickly the boy was by her side and helping her get out of the common room and out into the hallway.

As soon as the wall closed behind them again and she took a deep breath, her tense nerves started to calm down again. Without looking behind her she let herself fall against the wall and started crying.

The boy looked at her shocked and sat down next to her, in order to pull her onto his lab. Soothingly he stroked her back as she grabbed onto his shirt and cried onto his shoulder.

"Shh, shh everything will be alright," he cooed in a soft voice and held her tightly. "shh, shh, let it all out. Don't worry I'm here."

In the middle of the corridor they while she cried. His one arm holding her tight while the other stroked her back and cooed small nothings into her ear to calm her down again.

After a few minutes it actually worked and the crying girl calmed down and relaxed into his arms.

Slowly he wiped away the last tears that spilled out of the girls green eyes and made her look him in the eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

She stared into his eyes and then looked at the ground and slowly nodded her head.

Silence filled the corridor again as he quietly waited for her to start.

"...It all started at the beginning of last year..."

__

"Morning love," she whispered, looking into Draco's still sleepy eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"Gotta get ready for our Hogsmeade date."

"I've got a better idea. How about we stay here and have a little more fun?"

Ash giggled as Draco's hands snaked around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed with him while pulling the curtains close again. "No chance," she laughed and turned to look into his eyes. "I'm hungry and I want some food."

Draco rolled his eyes and let go of the girl in his arms. "Alright, lets get ready, I'll meet you in the common room in an hour?" he asked defeated, while Ash grinned at him and carefully placed a kiss on his lips.

"See you in an hour." she said and slipped of the bed walking towards the room door. When it suddenly opened revealing the boy.

Shocked the boy looked at her. "Hey..."

"Morning" Ash blushed. Busted she thought slyly.

"So that where you left to yesterday..." he stated flatly and shook his head. "Uh, bad image, get out of my brain," he mumbled to himself while shaking his head violently making Ash laugh.

"And you always say that I need to grow up!"

"Oh, get a life!"

"I've got one," she smirked and silently placed a kiss on his cheek before leaving the room to get changed.

__

She gave him his present, while getting one from him. She hadn't had any idea what she could give the by that already had everything. However, she had remembered his favourite band and hand found out that they were playing in London during the winter holidays on the 5th of January - she was able to get two tickets to the concert.

Anticipating what he would think of the present she didn't open hers yet, but watched him as he opened his. Watched as his eyes widened a bit and smiled at him when he told her that he loved his present.

"Open yours!" he said quietly and ushered her to open her present up.

It was quiet small and when she opened it her mouth fell straight down on the floor. "Your nuts," she muttered as she stared at the necklace that he had bought her.

In the box in front of her was a ring that she had seen in an shop window while they were in town and had fallen in love with it at first sight. It was a very simple ring, thin and with a Moonstone set in the middle of the ring. In the shop they said that it had special powers to show the hidden and lead them through the hard times in life - or give her the ability to escape... the ring she had gotten from Draco before she got her first memories back.

__

"Ash!" she heard him calling out for her while he neared her 'hiding spot' leaning against her parents grave stones, staring up at the stars, while tears quietly ran down her face.

"Ash!" she heard him repeat her name. She knew she had been foolish to run away from him, she needed someone right now... even if it hurt.

"H-here," she coaxed with a broken voice.

"Ash! There you are. I knew I'd find you here!" he smiled softly and went up to his friend, wrapping his arms around her trembling body. As soon as she felt his touch the last strength in her seemed too flee and she crumbled to the ground crying.

"Shhh," he cooed and pulled her into his lap, hugging her tightly. "Shh, tell me what happened."

Ash tensed at the memory as she relived it. "I went to the Malfoys and as I got there the Houseelf lead me straight to Draco's room where I caught him sleeping with Pansy! I can't believe how stupid I am! I should have known!"

"No, you can't have known, none of us did or could," he assured her.

"No, I already had the idea before... but I just didn't want to believe it!"

"Shh," he chimed, "shh, everything will be alright."

"No it wont," she screamed. "That - that - that ass... How could he do this to me? Why did he do this? Was I not good enough for him?" she cried clinging onto his frame as if her life depended on it.

"No, your too good for him. He's a little spineless git that just cant see what's right before his eyes. Even if its such an beautiful angel like you," he cooed and softly placed his fingers under her chin so she would look at him and see the truth in his words.

Ash sniffed when she looked him in the eyes, while he brushed away a few tears with his soft thumb.

Slowly and a bit confused she watched as he kissed the tears that where running down, tainting her beautiful face.

Her heart launched. She needed someone to hold her. She needed someone to tell her that she's beautiful, she needed someone to kiss her...

Her tears started to ebb away and quietly she leaned on to him. Staring into his eyes as her full lips met his. A spark of electricity ran down her spine, stronger then she every felt it before. At first she felt the boy under her relax, lean into the kiss as well, brush her cheek and pulling her deeper by the back of her head.

__

Smiling, she accepted the bottle of beer that was given to her and leaned into him, while listening to the musical beats. Gradually, she could feel hiss arm snaking around her waist, making the position more comfortable for both of them. With a content smile she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his body.

When she finished her first beer, she slowly separated from him. Looking into his confused face, Ash smiled and motioned towards the dance floor. Grinning, he accepted her invitation and got off the couch they had lounged on and followed his friend up to where everyone was moving to the music.

At first they started dancing like they always did, together but further apart, just dancing for themselves. But after a few more songs and one or two bottles of beer the two of them seemed to become more confident and slowly neared each other.

Sparks pulsated up and down her body every time they touched and that feeling was slowly getting addicting to both of them. Pulling her toward him, he let his arms wrap around her waist while she interlinked her fingers behind his neck.

Caught in his chocolate brown eyes, she never let her eyes stray away from him, focussing her full attention on him and him alone. The world around her not only got unimportant and blurry, but vanished fully. Nothing was there except the boy in her arms, the electricity that ran through her body and made her heart beat increase and herself, not moving to the beat of the music but to their own beat.

Step after step their bodies melted into each other, beat after beat they were sucked deeper into the bliss, movement after movement they started to move as one.

As if caught in a spell, she saw him lean down to her, felt his arm travelling up her back to cup her cheek, heard nothing but his hesitant breath as the space between their faces diminished, inhaled his scent of sweet sweat and vanilla and finally tasted his full lips as they softly crashed down onto hers.

Pulling him as close as possible she kissed him passionately trying to take him in, too show him how much she wanted him, needed him. Broomsticks did looping's inside her stomach, as Blaise kissed her back just as passionately and pulled her closer towards him. Ash wished this could go on forever but as every other human being, the two of them needed to separate when they felt the light headed due to the lack of oxygen.

Slowly moving their faces away from each other they stared into each others eyes. Reality starting to slowly come back to them. 

"Blaise..." she muttered, eyes wide, but her attention was quickly diverted, when she saw a spell shoot at him.

All at once she found herself in the middle of the battle once more.

"Ash..." Blaise spoke loudly, trying to be heard by her.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry... For all I said the last time. I should have known that you had some kind of plan."

Ash stayed quiet. She had no idea what he was talking about. "I forgive you," she said, not really wanting to know what had happened. "Where's Tracy?"

"Over there," he said, turning them around. There she was the black haired girl she had been best friends with a year ago. The girl she had felt like a sister towards. She was fighting of a masked Death Eater mercilessly. Her combat skills had improved tremendously in the last year.

"I'm happy she's well..." Ash said quietly, still firing spell after spell.

The two of them battled in silence for a while, until Blaise pulled her behind a wall for cover and a bit of rest. "Umm, Ash... I know this may not be the best moment... but would you still consider going on a date with me some time?" he asked childishly, making Ash laugh, but then her laughter died down, without having answered his question.

"Blaise," she said, looking at him seriously. "I -"

"Ash!" a all too familiar voice yelled out. Draco had spotted her and ran up to her. "What are you still doing here! Run!" he demanded, taking hold of her arm, ha hadn't seen Blaise.

"No, I wo-"

"She doesn't want to run, you coward!" Blaise spat in her stead.

Draco's eyes went big when he saw the other guy. "You keep you of it Zabini!"

"No, you keep out of it Malfoy! She's had enough of your little mind tricks!" Blaise spat.

"Both of you stop it!" Ash tried to shout over the others and get their attention back. "I don't think this is the time and pl-" she started but never managed to finish her sentence. In the time when she was distracted by the two quarrelling boys, a women with a gaunt, skull-like yet beautiful face, managed to point her wand at the three of them and sent out a beam of green lighting. Just in time Ash had seen this swiftly nearing bean of light and pushed both the boys at her side away from her.

"No!" she heard their screams ring in her ears and through the castle's Great Hall as she was thrown into the air.

Painlessly she smashed against the wall, fell forwards and hit the hard stone floor. Her arm bend in an awkward fashion from her body, her legs sprawled out. Her silver mask broken in two by her side and her long dark robes hugging her body tightly. Strawberry blond hair spread like a crown around her head, as her lifeless eyes stared up into the magical sky, illuminated by hundreds of flickering candles, while all around her the battle was raging on endlessly.

Another twisted fate falling victim to the ruthless game...

THE END


End file.
